Renewed
by The Burninator Named Trogdor
Summary: ObiWan is unable to withstand the renewal in The Hidden Past and loses his memory. AU. Chapter 25 is up.
1. 1

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Summary: What if Obi-Wan actually got his memory wiped in The Hidden Past? This is totally AU and a lot of direct quotes will be taken from the book.

Disclaimer: I do not own Jedi Apprentice or the Start Wars Universe.

1

"_The Syndicat has stored everything we need. Food, med supplies, building supplies, everything. It is all hidden in warehouses. We know this_."

It was hard to believe that his birthday was only yesterday. Since then he had been abducted by a Phindian named Paxxi and his brother Guerra (whom he met on Bandomeer) and was now trying to destroy The Syndicat (a crime organization that had taken control of the planet). Last night they had broken into Syndicat headquarters to find Paxxi's anti-register (though he had not known it was for that exact reason.) Now they were going to break into some Syndicat warehouses to find the anti-register. He felt a deep sense of foreboding. He could not explain where it came from but it made the young padawan very uneasy. Obi-Wan shook it off. Now was not the time to be scared. Was it the force trying to tell him something? Obi-Wan reached out to it, but the force gave no answers. Nonetheless the gentle waves washed upon him and he felt calmer.

The uniform he had obtained from a guard hung a little loose on his thinner frame. He glanced over at Qui-Gon who was deep in thought. Guerra and Paxxi were arguing silently over who looked more handsome in the uniform.

"Not so, brother! I see that you lie! I am most definitely the handsomest!"

"It is you who lie now Guerra! I sweep the Phindian ladies off their feet even without the uniform."

There was a short silence and all eyes fell on Paxxi. Then Paxxi and Guerra started laughing and saying "Not so! Not so!" Obi-Wan smiled and for a moment he forgot his own anxiety. He still didn't forget what Guerra said about the people who were renewed. It brought shivers up his spine. What would he do if _he_ lost all of his memories? How could he even be Obi-Wan if he didn't have a past? He'd be someone else. Someone different. He pushed those thoughts away. Now was not the time.

"As soon as we're inside, we should split up into two groups." Qui-Gon said.

Obi-Wan agreed. They could find the anti-register faster if they were separated. Obi-Wan reached into his robe and fingered the rock Qui-Gon gave him for his birthday. He was still unsure about the present. Perhaps it had some sort of force sensitivity? Master Qui-Gon wouldn't likely have given him something meaningless would he? Still... The stone felt smooth and calmed him. _Don't lose it_. He heard inwardly. _Whatever you do, don't loose it._ Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes. Where did that feeling come from? Obi-Wan looked at the smooth red lines on the stone and put it back into his guard uniform's pocket.

"Guerra go with Obi-Wan, Paxxi with me. We'll start at opposite ends and meet up in the middle, if we can. If you locate your goods and the anti-register device, leave. If we can't find it we'll all exit the building in twenty minutes. We can't take any chances." Qui-Gon said.

The plan seemed wise. _Don't loose it._ This way if any one of the Derida brothers ran into trouble they would have someone to protect them. _Whatever you do.... Obi_-Wan still couldn't understand why he was being warned to not loose the rock. He was going to tell Qui-Gon but thought better of it. He'd tell him later. Besides, he didn't want to sound ungrateful for his... rock.

"But what if we don't find it?" Paxxi asked hesitantly.

"We try again. We can't risk being discovered. If we are we may never find the device."

"Not so?" Guerra asked and Qui-Gon looked at him seriously.

"So." He answered simply and Guerra gulped. "The sooner we get out of there the better."

"And the sooner we find it the first time the better we don't have to go in again!" Paxxi said cheerfully. "Let's go!" He said casually.

The four silently and inconspicuously walked towards the warehouses with their packs full of "Bacta" and "Medpacs". He wondered if the guards would ask questions about the blatantly marked packs. Hopefully not. Qui-Gon could always bring the force to bear though so he didn't have to worry. Qui-Gon put a hand on Obi-Wan's arm and whispered,

"Don't forget to keep your arms in your pockets. We must look like Phindians."

Obi-Wan obeyed instantly and shoved his hands in his long pockets. He hoped his subtle disguise would work. He felt the stone brush against his hand and felt calm. He would not loose Qui-Gon's gift.

The four quickly walked across the dark courtyard and could see the lights of the warehouses. They weren't heavily guarded and the guards weren't checking for identification. Obi-Wan inwardly sighed. This would be a lot easier than he expected. At the main door to the warehouses stood two Phindian guards. Qui-Gon strode up to them and Obi-Wan and the Derida brothers followed suit. In his gruffest voice Qui-Gon growled,

"Delivering Bacta."

The guard looked the four over and waved them through.

The interior stunned Obi-Wan. Shelf after shelf was stacked with the supplies the planet desperately needed. How did the Syndicat even use all of the things they had? Did they gain pleasure from the fact they had it and the planet so desperately needed it? Or were they that insecure in their control? Guerra and Paxxi stopped and gawked at everything. It was hard not to, but Obi-Wan knew their cover would be blown if they stood still for too long. He gently nudged booth of them and they continued to walk. Still they could not keep their eyes off the endless rows of food, medpacs, and spare parts.

"Remember, twenty minutes." Qui-Gon whispered. "Don't take any unnecessary risks. We can always come back."

Obi-Wan and the brothers nodded. Guerra broke off from Paxxi and headed towards Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan took one last look at Qui-Gon and felt the anxiety he had felt earlier hit him again. He was frozen until Qui-Gon gave him a little nudge with the force. Obi-Wan turned away and walked off with Guerra. _Don't lose it...._ Echoed through his mind.

Guerra and Obi-Wan walked down to the end of the warehouse looking up at the endless shelves. They would occasionally pass a Syndicat guard but the guard would only nod and continue on his way. Obi-Wan's unease trickled away and he felt a fresh wave of confidence.

"This is so easy Obawan!" Guerra whispered excitedly. It was just what Obi-Wan had just been thinking. "So glad we stole these coats!"

Obi-Wan nodded and smiled. They continued down the hall.

"Do you see it?" Obi-Wan asked as they passed more bins of spare parts.

"No. But it has to be here." Guerra answered.

Suddenly Guerra's comlink activated. Guerra's eyes widened in fright. He didn't want to answer it.

"_Guard K23M9 report in. Explain whereabouts._" A gruff voice crackled.

Guerra almost choked. The mission didn't seem so easy anymore.

"It's probably a routine check." Obi-Wan murmured, but doubt clouded his voice.

Guerra summoned up his courage and answered steadily back,

"Warehouse delivery."

Obi-Wan hoped that would be the end, but the comlink activated again and the gruff voice said,

"_Unscheduled. Explain._"

Guerra began to panic and Obi-Wan could see the terror in his eyes. It had to happen _now_ of all times. Obi-Wan tried to think of a plan, but his mind was strangely blank.

"Tell him he's mistaken." Obi-Wan whispered, wishing he could manipulate a person's thoughts through a comlink.

Guerra began to answer the comlink but terror leaked in his voice and he sounded high pitched.

"Not so!" He then shut off the comlink.

Both Obi-Wan and Guerra knew that they would be in a lot of trouble soon if they didn't hurry up. Without saying another word they began to quickly scan the shelves. Obi-Wan looked around nervously. He expected an army of Syndicat Guards to come rushing through the hall at any minute. Finally he heard the words he had been waiting to hear all night.

"Found it Obawan!" Guerra exclaimed. "There! The top shelf! I recognize those energy cells!"

Obi-Wan breathed a sigh of relief. Guerra deftly climbed up onto the bottom shelf to get more height and with his long arms reached for a carton and hauled it down. He peered inside with his curious eyes and smiled broadly.

"Here it is!" He exclaimed and took the device out from the bottom of the carton.

Guerra quickly tucked the device under his long arm. He put the carton back in its original place. Obi-Wan and Guerra looked at each other once and began to quickly walk back to the entrance of the warehouse. They tried to look inconspicuous but it was hard not too when Guerra was looking around anxiously every two seconds. Suddenly a monotone announcement boomed over the intercom.

"_Guard K23M9, report to security. Guard K23M9, report to security._"

Obi-Wan's heart pounded.

"What should we do Obawan? That's me!" Guerra asked panicked.

Obi-Wan's mind was blank. The force couldn't give him any answers. The most important thing was to get the anti-register out of here. If they ran now then they would booth be caught, but if one stayed behind the other could get the device to Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan knew what he had to do.

"Give me your coat." He ordered Guerra.

Guerra stared at him in horror.

"But Obawan! They will catch you! This I did once on Bandomeer. I'm not going to do it again!" Guerra said.

Obi-Wan admired the loyalty Guerra was showing him, but knew there was no other way. He had to convince Guerra he would be all right.

"The Force will protect me." Obi-Wan half lied but said confidently. Guerra had to believe. "There is no other way Guerra. You have to get the device to Qui-Gon and Paxxi."

Obi-Wan almost felt tempted to use the Force on Guerra to make him go but decided against it. His heart beat rapidly inside his chest. They were running out of time!

"You can use the Force to escape?" Guerra asked almost disbelieving.

Obi-Wan knew that Guerra knew close to nothing about the Force and it worked to his advantage.

"Yes!" Obi-Wan lied. "But you must hurry!"

Obi-Wan slipped out of his coat and handed it to Guerra. Guerra did the same, but reluctantly. Guerra put Obi-Wan's armor on and Obi-Wan put Guerra's on. Obi-Wan reached out to the Force and felt the Syndicat guards coming closer. Guerra tucked the device under his arm again.

"Now go!" Obi-Wan whispered and gently shoved Guerra away.

Guerra walked away from Obi-Wan and disappeared around a corner. Obi-Wan breathed a sigh of relief. Several floaters came rushing into the room with guards on them. Obi-Wan looked behind him and saw several more guards coming his direction. He was surrounded. It was hopeless. He reached into his pocket.... And the stone his Master had given him was not there. Guerra had it. He had left it in the pocket of his guard's uniform. Fear washed over Obi-Wan, but he quickly conquered it. He was a Jedi and fear had no place in him.

There was only one thing Obi-Wan could do, and that was surrender. All the guards pointed their blasters at Obi-Wan's neck menacingly. Obi-Wan was composed. He would wait for his chance to escape. He held his hands slightly up in surrender. He considered trying to reach out to his Master, but he wasn't quite sure if their Master-Padawan bond was that strong or if that would just make the situation worse.

"Guard K23M9. You are out of your quadrant." A guard said. "You know the penalty. We will escort you to headquarters. Resist and you're dead."

Obi-Wan nodded numbly. The foreboding he had felt earlier came back in full force. It threatened to immobilize him. He felt cold all over. He remembered all the warnings he had heard in his mind about the stone, and wished he had listened to him. A guard kept a blaster against his neck and roughly pushed him forward.


	2. 2

2

"Brave or crazy, we shall see." Guerra said, unconcerned. "With Jedi along, what can go wrong?"

It was too easy, Qui-Gon thought. He and Paxxi strolled down the warehouse unnoticed while looking for the anti-register device. Something nagged at the back of his mind. When had a mission _ever _been this simple? Some unforeseen event was going to happen to put him and Paxxi in danger. The Force wasn't telling him so; he was just thinking pessimistically. Paxxi searched the high shelves with his eyes but still could not find the device. He hoped that Obi-Wan and Guerra were having better luck. So far there was nothing.

"Are you sure it is here?" Qui-Gon asked calmly.

"Of course Jedi-Gon!" Paxxi reassured.

Qui-Gon smiled slightly at the name the Derida brothers had adopted for him and his padawan. In his experience he had been called many things (and most of them unpleasant) but it always touched him in untold ways. Nonetheless Qui-Gon was getting impatient. He knew he could always come back, but that would increase the risk of getting caught.

"I don't see it anywhere!" Paxxi exclaimed. "Guerra and Obawan must have found it by now."

"You don't know that." Qui-Gon quietly said. "It is a large warehouse."

"It'd be better if he did! I have no luck!"

Qui-Gon could almost imagine Obi-Wan countering that statement with, "_Then how have you managed to stay alive for so long?_" His padawan was young and hadn't seen much of anything outside of the temple. He did not know that loyalty and virtue came from the most unlikely places. He would learn, in time.

Qui-Gon scanned the shelves, but he did not know what he was looking for. Paxxi softly muttered to himself as he looked at the shelves. He would shake his head and move on. They had been there for too long already. They had to leave. Two guards walked towards them and Qui-Gon inwardly tensed. They stopped in front of Qui-Gon and Paxxi. Paxxi struggled to remain calm. Qui-Gon met the guard's gaze squarely.

"These night shifts are killer." One said.

"They work us like dogs!" The second said.

Qui-Gon's tension eased. The guards did not suspect them. They were just making idle chitchat with their supposed fellow guards.

"And what to we get for it? Nothing! That's what!" The first guard finished.

"We get the good feeling inside for serving the _noble_ and _virtuous_ Syndicat." Paxxi said sarcastically.

The two guards laughed.

"Ranti, I didn't know we had another joker on our shift!" The first guard said. The second guard, Ranti, just shook his head.

"I didn't know either. Fortune is with you Tenru! Now you don't have to face the dredge of the night shift just listening to me." Ranti said.

"So true!" Tenru said. Tenru slapped Ranti on the back in a show of friendship.

"I've never seen you two around here." Ranti said. "Then again they don't keep anybody in the same place for a long."

"Except us." Tenru said. "Unfortunately."

The Intercom buzzed and a flat, monotone voice said,

"_Guard K23M9, report to security. Guard K23M9, report to security._"

The two guards raised their eyebrows.

"Poor fellow. He's going to get it bad. Speaking of which... It's almost lockdown." Tenru said.

"Thank the stars!" Paxxi exclaimed. "I'd almost fell over with fatigue."

Tenru and Ranti looked at Paxxi strangely then began to laugh loudly. They patted Paxxi on the back while chuckling.

"Your friend there is too serious. Tell him to lighten up." Ranti said to Paxxi, pointing to Qui-Gon.

"That is so! It's always work with him! He doesn't even smile!" Paxxi said.

Qui-Gon raised his eyebrows at Paxxi and, falling into his new role, began to scowl.

"Do you see? Not once! It was a joke!" Paxxi exclaimed.

Qui-Gon felt unsettled. He hoped that the intercom announcement had nothing to do with Obi-Wan or Guerra. He had to have gotten outside the building by now. Obi-Wan and Guerra were probably waiting for them.

"We're going to get a drink after our shift is over. Do you want to come with us?" Tenru asked.

Qui-Gon looked sternly at Paxxi. Paxxi smiled sheepishly.

"We're afraid we cannot. My friend here will explode if he has even the littlest bit of fun!" Paxxi said.

Tenru and Ranti shrugged.

"Too bad." They said and left with a wave.

Qui-Gon and Paxxi exited the warehouse and hid in the shadows. Obi-Wan and Guerra were not there yet. It had been well over twenty minutes. Where was his padawan? Paxxi was worried as well. He had already lost a sister to the Syndicat. He shouldn't have to loose his brother. Qui-Gon silently paced. He hoped his padawan hadn't gotten himself in trouble. Qui-Gon tried reaching out to his padawan but their Master-Padawan bond was new. He could only feel Obi-Wan's presence. In time it would grow stronger, but right now he could do nothing.

Qui-Gon heard hurried footsteps coming towards him. He put his hand on the hilt of his lightsaber, preparing for a fight. Guerra's soft voice called out,

"Paxxi? Paxxi? Is that you?"

"Brother! I was not worried that you would return to us. Not so! I lie! I was very worried." Paxxi said.

Paxxi and Guerra embraced in a brotherly way and Paxxi smiled brightly. Qui-Gon waited. Obi-Wan must be coming soon now. He most likely sent Guerra in front and he would protect their escape. Qui-Gon's eyes searched the darkness, but no one came. He turned his steely gaze over to Guerra.

"Where is Obi-Wan?" He asked, keeping the worry out of his voice.

There was no chance to escape. The situation was getting even more hopeless than before. Obi-Wan felt fear creeping up on him. He tried to push it aside but it grew stronger. 'Fear has no place inside of a Jedi. If you let fear conquer you then the dark side will take hold.' How many times had he heard that? How many times had he repeated the same creed to himself? Yet it still did not help. At least he still had his lightsaber, but he couldn't fight a whole army of guards that was swarming the Syndicat headquarters. Obi-Wan waited.

The guards continued to shove him forward in an unfriendly way.

'_You know the penalty. We will escort you to headquarters. Resist and you're dead_.'

What was the penalty? That was the part that scared Obi-Wan the most. Would they go as far as renew him for such an offense? No. That would be too drastic even for the Syndicat. But what if they found out he was not a Phindian? What would they do then?

A harsh blow across the back of his head with a blaster brought him out of his thoughts. Obi-Wan reeled and struggled to maintain his composure. His head spun, but it soon cleared. The guards then began stripping him of his guard armor. Obi-Wan cooperated, knowing he'd be forced to cooperate anyways. Perhaps if he appeared to be beaten they would let their guard down. They didn't. The security forces doubled and Obi-Wan saw his hopes slip away again. They were going to take his lightsaber. Once he lost that he would have no way to escape. Should he attack now? He reached out to the Force, but it gave him no answers. It just washed over him, calming him. He would get out of this eventually. He just had to be patient.

Once his armor and visor were taken off the guards stopped for a second. Obi-Wan sensed the slightest shock from them.

"He's not Phindian." A scowling Phindian commented.

"He doesn't look a day over thirteen." Another said with shock coloring his voice.

'_I'm two days over thirteen!_'Obi-Wan thought with bleak amusement and insincere outrage. It was better to keep his spirits up by forcing his bad situation to seem comical. It was how Guerra and Paxxi did it, and they were still alive. Besides, he thought, he was tall for his age.

Obi-Wan said nothing to the guards and waited. A guard reached out and took Obi-Wan's lightsaber. Obi-Wan felt all of his hopes being crushed as his unique weapon was taken away. Now it would take a miracle or divine intervention to get him out of his predicament. Obi-Wan hid a smile as he saw the guard try to activate it, but could not. At least they did not know what they had.

"What is this? Some primitive weapon?" The guard asked mockingly.

Obi-Wan said nothing. The guards didn't know what to make of him and he detected a hint of nervousness from them. What were they worried about?

"We'd better take him to Weutta." A guard said and they all nodded in agreement.

They pushed him with their blasters and Obi-Wan winced as they jabbed into his back.

"Move rebel!" They said gruffly and Obi-Wan walked where they directed him.

They ended up in a small office with a particularly ugly looking Phindian sitting at a desk. The guards snapped to attention as he looked up at them.

"What now?" He asked impatiently.

"We found this rebel impersonating Guard K23M9." The guard with his blaster in Obi-Wan's back answered.

Weutta laughed.

"_Him_?" He asked pointing to Obi-Wan with a sneer on his face. "He's just a boy! Are you telling me _he_ is the cause of the disruption yesterday?"

Little? He wasn't little! Anger seeped inside of Obi-Wan, but he caught himself before he let it make him do anything rash. Obi-Wan calmed himself and adopted the Derida brother's philosophy again. Weutta wasn't one to talk about calling someone little. Most of the guards towered over him by half a foot. Obi-Wan tried but he couldn't suppress a smile. Weutta scowled.

"What's so amusing rebel?" Weutta asked in a dangerous tone.

Obi-Wan didn't respond and hid his smile. Weutta struck him across the face and Obi-Wan staggered. '_So maybe now wasn't the time to joke after all_.' He thought painfully.

The security forces forced Obi-Wan through a retinal scan and compared them to Guard K23M9's. The words _NO MATCH _came up on the screen, but nothing else.

"So we have no record of you, rebel." Weutta said derisively.

Suddenly Weutta got so close in front of Obi-Wan that he could smell his horrid breath. Obi-Wan tried to keep himself from flinching from the vile smell.

"Who are you working with? I knew it wasn't just you who gave us trouble at headquarters yesterday." Weutta growled, glaring at Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan said nothing.

"Who are your contacts?" Weutta asked dangerously.

Again, Obi-Wan didn't answer. Weutta nodded to a guard and he shoved his elbow into Obi-Wan's gut. Obi-Wan let out a gasp of air, but did not fall to the ground.

"Why have you come to Phindar? What happened to Guard K23M9?" Weutta asked again.

Obi-Wan didn't answer and got a light jab in his left side with a force pike in punishment. Obi-Wan fell to his knees. Obi-Wan didn't cry out but his side was on fire and his head was spinning. He had felt much worse on Bandomeer, but it was still painful.

"I'll take him to Baftu. We're on High Security. He wants to see all rebels." Weutta said.

Two guards pulled Obi-Wan from the ground in a less than cordial way. Weakened from the force pike Obi-Wan could barely stand. Weutta roughly pushed Obi-Wan all the way down a long corridor that he assumed led to Baftu. When they reached a massive and ornately carved door Weutta pushed Obi-Wan to the ground. As Obi-Wan tried to get back up Weutta stepped on his back, preventing him from doing so.

"Wait here slug," Weutta growled. "And don't look up."

Obi-Wan obeyed, but moved his eyes so he could see Weutta better.

Obi-Wan watched with interest as Weutta quaked under Baftu's temper. It would have been quite funny except he was lying on the floor and he still felt weak from the force pike. After a threat from Baftu that involved impaling and an electro-jabber Weutta ran out the far doors.

"Baftu! I'm not finished!" A female voice roared. Obi-Wan knew it was Terra.

Obi-Wan could see the annoyance on Baftu's face as he turned back to his female companion.

The door was left ajar and if Obi-Wan strained his ears and sharpened his senses with the Force enough he could hear their heated debate. They argued about an alliance with Prince Beju and whether he was trustworthy or not. Terra believed the Phindian people were on the brink of revolt, but Baftu laughed it off.

"This is not a joke Baftu!" Terra screamed furiously.

"Ah, you're getting soft, pretty Terra." Baftu purred. "But if the state of things on Phindar worries you, then why don't you handle it? You can appease the people with some extra food this week. Not a bad idea, since Beju is coming. It will distract them. Just don't give them any Bacta-- I've promised it all to Beju."

"I do not trust the Prince--" Terra started.

"As you have said over and over again." Baftu interrupted, his voice calm. " I will handle the meeting. You handle Phindar. Now I have work to do."

"What about the rebel?" Terra asked, struggling to contain her annoyance.

"You handle it. Phindar is your responsibility now, remember?"

Obi-Wan heard an exasperated sigh and the soft clicking of a door. He felt the nudge of a boot against his shoulder and dread filled him.

"Head up, rebel." Terra said dispassionately.

Obi-Wan obeyed and looked into the eyes of Paxxi and Guerra's sister. They were so alike yet unalike. Where he saw friendliness and loyalty in their eyes he saw anger and cruelty in hers. Obi-Wan shivered. She had been renewed...

"Who are you?" Terra asked impatiently.

"A friend." Obi-Wan answered.

Terra rolled her eyes and snorted.

"Not to me. You impersonated a guard. _You know the penalty_."

Obi-Wan flinched as he heard those words for the second time this night.

"Well, perhaps you do not. Perhaps your Phindian _friend_ did not tell you. You will be renewed and transported off planet." Terra said scornfully.

Obi-Wan froze. No... Not renewed. He couldn't have everything he had ever done erased like it never existed! His life as a Jedi was just beginning. Qui-Gon had accepted him! They couldn't take that away! It was his destiny to be a great Jedi. Renewed? No... It couldn't be! '_You know the penalty_.' No! He would rather not know. Obi-Wan was ready to accept torture. What was bodily pain next to nothingness? That is what scared him the most. Nothingness.


	3. 3

3

"And did you complete the Padawan birthday ritual?" Qui-Gon asked. "Only by remembering the past are we able to learn from the present."

Obi-Wan was limp with shock and despair as the Syndicate guards dragged him to a prisoner cell. He was going to be renewed. '_You know the penalty._' Obi-Wan couldn't accept it. It wasn't fair! He had finally started on the path to his destiny. He was Qui-Gon Jinn's padawan. They hadn't even gone on their first official mission together and everything was now coming to a horrible end. '_Why? Why me?_' Obi-Wan asked himself and then rebuked himself. Self-pity was not a trait of the Jedi. A Jedi accepted his fate. Before death a Jedi is at peace. A Jedi is calm. Obi-Wan was going to die. Maybe not his body, but the part that truly made him Obi-Wan would be removed.

Obi-Wan took no notice of his surroundings as the guards pushed him onwards. They stopped, unlocked a tiny prisoner cell, and threw him inside. Obi-Wan crashed against the smooth durasteel wall and collapsed on the ground. He didn't move. _A Jedi accepted his death..._ But this was worse than death. He would lose _everything _and not know that he lost it.

The cold dusty floor caused Obi-Wan to sneeze and he slowly got up into a crouching position. He felt dizzy, but soon that feeling dissipated. The cell was more of a cage than an actual room. He couldn't even stand all the way up in it. Did they have to be this cruel? How could someone wipe the memory of another person and not even give them enough space to stand on their last moments before it happened? How much time did he have? Why did they even wait? It was beyond cruelty.

Obi-Wan didn't know what to do. What could he do? He was trapped. He grasped the bars to his cell and tried to force them apart. They did not budge. He took a deep breath and focused his mind. He tried to will them apart with the force, but nothing happened. Perhaps not even Qui-Gon could do such a feat. The fact didn't make him feel any better. He checked carefully to see if any of the bars were weak or pliable, but they were all strong. There was no way out. Obi-Wan sighed and sat back against the wall. He tucked his knees underneath his chin and waited.

Obi-Wan only had one idea left, but he was certain it would not work. He could try reaching out to his Master through their bond. Would Qui-Gon come in time? The seconds ticked away and Obi-Wan felt fear consume his heart as each minute passed away. Obi-Wan tried to shake the fear away, but it clung to him like a leech. Fear was a leech, Obi-Wan realized. It drained you of hope and once hope was gone there was only despair. There was anguish so deep that no light breached the desolation. It was a void, an abyss of misery. '_And all of this_,' Obi-Wan thought. '_Comes from fear._' Now he understood why fear was so dangerous.

Obi-Wan reached out for his Master. He vaguely felt a sense of anxiety coming from his Master, but it seemed so far away. Then Obi-Wan realized that Qui-Gon could not come in time to save him. Nothing could save him. It seemed that through all the time since he met his Master he had always found himself in impossible situations. He had never lost hope though. He always found a way to escape or Qui-Gon would rescue him. Even on the mining platform on Bandomeer when he accepted his death there was still hope. Obi-Wan closed his eyes and imagined himself as a great Jedi. He always believed he would be a Jedi Knight. It wasn't just belief, he _knew_ he would be a Jedi Knight. He was destined for it. '_Perhaps I mistook belief for knowledge. Destiny for a possible outcome._' Obi-Wan thought. '_Maybe I wasn't meant to be a Jedi._'

With that Obi-Wan's dreams died. He could no longer see himself as a noble Jedi Knight protecting the innocent and bringing justice to evil. He just saw a boy wandering around with a void in his eyes. He saw a lost boy who knew nothing and lost everything. He lost his friends, his teachers, his home, his Master, and the Force? No, no memory-wiping machine could take away the Force. He would loose the knowledge of its existence and how to harness it. He would be blind to it as well. Obi-Wan shivered in the chilly air and curled further into a ball. His throat felt tight and his eyes started stinging. He sobbed and felt a wetness on his cheek. He could not stop the onslaught of tears as he cried out for help and no one heard him.

"What do you mean he is not coming?" Qui-Gon asked, trying to keep the annoyance and worry out of his tone.

They were still hiding in the shadows of the Syndicat warehouse. Qui-Gon, Guerra, and Paxxi stood unobserved. Guerra's shoulders were slumped and he looked about ready to cry.

"He... was taken by the Syndicat guards." Guerra whispered.

Qui-Gon almost roared at the young Phindian, but only the dire circumstances he was facing kept his voice in check.

"And how did _you_ escape?" Qui-Gon asked icily.

"My comlink sounded and they wanted to know what I was doing and I said that it was a warehouse delivery. They said it was unscheduled. They wouldn't accept any excuse. Me and Obawan found the device. We thought if we just made it out of the building quick we were safe, but then they announced the guard whose uniform I was wearing number..." Guerra started to explain.

Qui-Gon remembered when he heard the intercom announcement. He had hoped it wasn't Obi-Wan or Guerra. He was mistaken.

"Obawan told me to give him my coat. He said the Force would protect him. I gave it to him and he told me to go. So I did." Guerra finished.

Qui-Gon took a deep shuddering breath. He tried to find his calm center but it eluded him.

"You abandoned him!" Qui-Gon accused and Guerra's skin went pale.

"Not so, Jedi-Gon! He insisted!" Guerra cried.

Qui-Gon began to pace around with a furrowed brow.

"It all happened so fast. I did not know what to do!" Guerra said in a muffled whine.

"You could have stayed with him!" Qui-Gon retorted.

"But Obawan told me to take the anti-register and leave. It was most important he said." Guerra cried again.

Paxxi watched and pitied his brother. He knew Guerra would never abandon Obawan unless he had no other choice.

"It does sound like something a Jedi would do." Paxxi said silently, supporting his brother.

Guerra looked with gratefully at Paxxi.

Qui-Gon sighed and tried to banish all of his anger and annoyance. He took another deep breath and closed his eyes. Paxxi was right. It did sound like something a Jedi would do. That _Obi-Wan_ would do. Even before Obi-Wan was his padawan he had tried to sacrifice himself when they were trapped in the Bandomeer mine. Obi-Wan had done it again and this time Qui-Gon wasn't there to stop him.

A new thought entered Qui-Gon's mind and he glanced at Guerra. Guerra had betrayed Obi-Wan, again. Qui-Gon looked at Guerra with anger, but it evaporated when he saw the deep guilt in Guerra's eyes. No. He hadn't betrayed Obi-Wan. Guerra would never do that again.

"I did not know what to do Jedi-Gon." Guerra said mournfully. "He said the Force would protect him. Now I know it was a trick to get me to obey him. I would have gone in his place if I knew he was going to get captured."

Qui-Gon sighed heavily. He had no right to be mad at Guerra. His padawan acted like a Jedi should, but he wasn't a Jedi yet. He was just beginning. Had he lost his padawan before they even got to their first official mission? Qui-Gon couldn't help but feel proud of his new padawan. He would have done the same thing in Obi-Wan's place.

"We can signal Duenna for emergencies. She could meet us tomorrow and tell us how Obawan is and what they are planning for him. We can arrange rescue then." Paxxi spoke up softly.

Insistent warnings went off in Qui-Gon's head. Tomorrow would be too late. Who knew what was happening to Obi-Wan right now? He felt a sudden spike of anxiety and fear and knew it was from Obi-Wan.

"It will be too late by then!" Qui-Gon insisted. It has to be tonight. It has to be now."

Qui-Gon looked back at the Syndicat Headquarters with determination in his eyes. Paxxi and Guerra looked at each other with sadness in their eyes.

"So sorry to say not so Jedi-Gon." Paxxi said calmly and Qui-Gon whirled around.

"I will not leave Obi-Wan there for so long." Qui-Gon said firmly.

"Headquarters locks down for the night. Nobody can get in. Not even Terra or Baftu." Paxxi said.

"The anti-register device..." Qui-Gon began but the Derida brothers shook their heads.

"Not into headquarters after lockdown." Guerra said mournfully.

Qui-Gon shook his head in defeat. It would have to be tomorrow. He hoped his feeling that tomorrow would be too late just came from his own worry. He felt helpless. He should have gone with Obi-Wan and let the Derida brothers look for it together. That probably wouldn't have worked anyways. They had a better chance of finding the device in the groups they went in.

"Duenna will watch out for Obawan." Guerra assured softly. "She will protect him as best as she can."

Qui-Gon nodded and thought about what Yoda said to him once.

"_Make the decision, make another. Remake ones past you cannot._"

Qui-Gon and the Derida brothers made their way back to their hideout. Qui-Gon knew in his heart that he couldn't rescue Obi-Wan tonight.

It had been a couple of hours and Obi-Wan was still in that cramped cell. Each second that ticked by was torture. He tried not to think of all the precious memories he would loose, but he couldn't help it. Most of the memories he had were from the temple. He had spent most of his life there so it was no surprise. There were his friends Bant, Garen, and even Reeft. They had all supported him and sometimes fought with him. There was Yoda. The old and green Jedi Master who guided him and had always knew much more than he said. Lastly there was his Master Qui-Gon. He had known him the shortest, but he knew that if he wasn't going to loose his memory they would have been a very close knit Master and Padawan. There was no chance for that now.

Obi-Wan now thought of his thirteenth birthday. The day he officially was a padawan. The day he had waited for his entire life and now it seemed so far away. Obi-Wan thought of the gift that Qui-Gon gave him. He wished he had it now. Besides his lightsaber, which had been taken away, it was the only object which connected him to the Jedi. Both were gone and so was he.

He thought of the recollection exercise. He had not done it, but he had thought of every memory he would loose. Stuck in his tiny cell he remembered the past. Even if it was painful he had remembered everything that he would loose. His master had admonished him for not doing it the exercise.

'_I hope that it's good enough for you Master._' Obi-Wan thought inconsolably.

Obi-Wan shivered. Guerra had said that some strong-minded beings could withstand part of the memory wipe. Obi-Wan's spirits lifted a little. Perhaps he could withstand the wipe as well! A strong voice of doubt and despair rebuked him. That hope would only lead to more disappointment. Obi-Wan shivered again and hugged his legs.

Obi-Wan didn't hear when the guards entered the room and walked up noisily to his cell. He saw two faces staring down at him and he backed up against the wall.

"Oh look, he's scared!" One of the guards mocked.

The other nodded and smiled, but there was pity in his eyes.

Obi-Wan was terrified and now he was angry. He had never liked it when people mocked him.

The guards opened up his cell and grabbed him forcefully and pushed him out. He hit the ground hard and coughed. The guards heaved him to his feet and started to drag him towards the memory-wiping machine. Something in Obi-Wan snapped and he lost all of his Jedi calm. He stomped on one of the guards feet with enough force to make the guard let go. Obi-Wan started thrashing around wildly and with his free fist he hit the other Phindian guard in the nose. The other guard let go and Obi-Wan started running away, but his legs had been cramped up in that cell for hours and they were unused to moving. He fell and hit the floor. The guards were on him again and one kicked him in the stomach and all the breath was knocked out of Obi-Wan. They hauled Obi-Wan to his feet and dragged Obi-Wan down the long dull hallway. Obi-Wan tried getting away, but they held his arms like an iron vice.

Obi-Wan struggled anyway and began shrieking and thrashing like a wild animal.

"NO! YOU CAN'T HAVE THEM! THEY'RE MINE!"

His screams echoed down the long cold hallway.


	4. 4

4

__

"Hummmph! Always in motion the future is. One cannot be sure, but I have sensed... a kinder destiny for you."

After several minutes of trying to subdue Obi-Wan the guards jabbed him with a force pike. The blow brought Obi-Wan to his knees and sent an electrifying jolt throughout his whole body. He cried out and with the remaining strength he still had he tried to get back up. His head spun and his vision was hazy. The guards cried out something Obi-Wan could not decipher. His whole body felt like it was on fire, but he still tried to attack the guards in his unjedi-like fury. His body wouldn't respond in the way it normally did and he fell to the ground again. The guards sent two more electric jolts through his body. Obi-Wan was paralyzed. He tried to move, to scream, to do _anything _besides lie there, but he could not.

The guards picked him off of the ground and Obi-Wan inwardly shrieked. All that he had done was for nothing. He was about to become _nothing_. Obi-Wan reached out to the Force, but it had slipped away from him. '_Even the Force has abandoned me_.' Obi-Wan thought hopelessly. The _one _thing he had counted on not to leave him was gone. He barely noticed as the guards threw him into another cell like room with a strange droid in it. It's coppery outside plates shone sickly in the half-light. Some Phindians started tweaking with the droid, but Obi-Wan barely noticed. He was trying to move, but he couldn't.

He couldn't believe this was happening. He was loosing everything. He couldn't fight anymore. His body wouldn't let him. Obi-Wan stopped trying. He gave up. He tried to calm himself and remember the Jedi philosophy. _A Jedi accepts his death with grace. It is the will of the Force_. The philosophy did not help him though. It was meaningless. There was no Jedi philosophy on loosing your memories at thirteen. Obi-Wan found that he was too tired to be mad or give into anger. Perhaps that was a good thing. What a failure he would be if he gave into the dark side of the Force. Qui-Gon wouldn't have been pleased.

Obi-Wan couldn't think of Qui-Gon without feeling a sharp pang in his heart. He had wanted to be his padawan so badly. When Obi-Wan had been sent to AgriCorps he didn't accept it. He _knew _he was supposed to be Qui-Gon's apprentice. Now, before their first official mission together he had already failed his Master. He was not meant to be Qui-Gon's apprentice. That was the reality that Obi-Wan accepted. The Force had stepped in to put Obi-Wan back in his place.

Obi-Wan looked up at the Memory-Wipe droid. The Phindians were still setting it up. At that moment that emotionless droid was the embodiment of every evil in the galaxy to Obi-Wan. There was the machine that would take everything away from him. The droid issued some beeps. It was ready. Obi-Wan was not. He tried reaching out to the Force again. If the Force was with him he wasn't alone. The Force would be with him, and that is all a Jedi needs. The Force was there as a comforting presence. Obi-Wan immersed himself into its flow. Obi-Wan closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable.

Two cold metal rods were attached to his temples. Obi-Wan kept his eyes closed. The Force was with him and he would fight as hard as he could. If he failed he would never know. _A Jedi accepts his death_. The droid made indecipherable beeping noises. Memories flashed before Obi-Wan's eyes. He watched them all with a bittersweet smile on his face. There were some very good memories and bad ones. '_At least I never have to think of Bruck Chun again_.' Obi-Wan thought, but it was an artificial consolation.

The guards just watched. Obi-Wan waited with his eyes closed. The droid whirred and then activated the Memory Wipe. There was a faint buzzing sensation in his head and he whirled his head to the right. The buzzing continued and he felt a headache coming on. He winced but kept his eyes closed. His hands were cold. His head was tingling and the electro-pulsars at his temples became hot. A strange throb came out of them and it reminded Obi-Wan of a heartbeat. The throb went deeper and deeper inside of his head until the throb was all he could think of. Had he become that faint pulsation? He felt like he was sliding back... NO! He wouldn't let them take his memories that easy! He was a Jedi Apprentice. They would not win not while the Force still existed, and the Force would always exist.

The pain increased and sent jolts throughout Obi-Wan's body. He gritted his teeth and clawed at the air with his clenched hands. The Syndicat guards laughed but their voices were somehow far away to Obi-Wan. His eyes were tightly closed and he was moving his head around constantly. Memories flashed before his eyes and for each one that passed he grabbed on to it with all of his strength.

"He's resisting." A guard said casually.

"They all do." Another commented.

"Not like _this_." The first guard said pointing to Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan was now writhing on the ground in agony but not making a sound. He hoarded his memories like treasure and kept them close to his heart. They would have to kill him to get them. They were _his_. The pain became a blinding white light and Obi-Wan shrieked in defiance. Soon his shriek died away and the pain receded, a little. They wouldn't win. He was a Jedi... They wouldn't take them, but they had. Obi-Wan panicked. There were black holes in his mind. They leered at him and threatened to suck him into their deep darkness. Obi-Wan glared back at that darkness. They wouldn't win. They wouldn't.

He felt extremely sick and the white light wouldn't go away from his closed eyes. A rough voice broke through his world of pain and bright light.

"What is your name?" Someone asked.

Obi-wan knew. He _knew_! They hadn't taken his name. They failed. He won! Didn't he?

"_Obi-Wan Kenobi_." Obi-wan said defiantly.

The guards looked at each other and shook their heads.

"My name is _Obi-Wan Kenobi_." Obi-wan said as loud as he could.

Obi-Wan's voice had grown stronger but it was not as forceful as he thought it would be. He panted and the rhythm of his heart started to slow a little. He felt extremely dizzy, but he still had his name. He still had the Jedi Temple; he still had his friends and his Master. He had all the embarrassments and the accomplishments. He had the horror of being sent to Bandomeer to be a farmer and then Qui-Gon calling him padawan in the mine.

"Increase the power." The leader said.

Obi-wan heard a few other voices speaking but he couldn't really decipher what they were saying. His vision was blurring in and out and everything was starting to confuse his senses. Was he hanging upside down? It didn't matter much. He had won. Obi-Wan smiled and blinked. He felt a warm feeling envelop him. The Force? Yes, of course. The Force saved him. The Force could do anything.

"Poor bloke, he thinks its over." One said.

"Darned shame." Another responded.

Obi-wan puzzled over the words he couldn't quite comprehend. What was going to happen now? He could feel the Force. It surrounded him in comforting waves. It was like the mother that protected her child from harm. Qui-Gon would be so proud when he rescued him. Sure Obi-Wan was too weak to escape by himself but he knew his Master would come after him. He would enter with his green lightsaber blazing. He would easily dispatch the guards and free him from the cage. He would hand him his lightsaber back and lecture him on the importance of his lightsaber. Obi-Wan would nod, soaking up the reprimand, but knowing that Qui-Gon didn't really mean it. They would meet up with Guerra and Paxxi and save the planet. Obi-Wan smiled again. It sounded so wonderful in his mind.

"Ready?"

"All clear."

Obi-wan wondered where Qui-Gon was now. On his way to rescue him surely? He wouldn't wait until morning. His Master was wise. He would defy all reason and logic sometimes but he was wise. The Force would guide him to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan knew pride was not a good trait for a Jedi, but it didn't matter right now. He had beaten the memory wipe when no one else had! Him! A padawan! Obi-Wan smiled.

The Phindians looked down at Obi-Wan's smile for a long time as if deliberating whether they should pity him or not. In the end one of them snorted and the rest followed suit.

"Activate the Wipe."

A Phindian flicked a switch on the memory-wipe droid and it beeped twice. Obi-Wan wondered for a second what those beeps meant until the purpose became entirely too clear. They weren't done with him yet. The pain was not gradual. It hit him with its full force and set fiery blades into his mind. He felt as if thousands of tiny spiders with poisoned tipped legs were crawling around frantically throughout his brain. He tried to scream but no sound came out. His back arched and his eyes went unnaturally wide. He tried to concentrate on the immense power of the Force but he felt it slipping away. He could feel memories slipping away.

__

Bant's silver eyes danced with joy as she looked at the slowly levitating object. The object was a small silver ball that seemed to perfectly match the color of her eyes. It seemed hesitant to leave the ground but as it gained altitude it went faster. Soon it shot up into the ceiling like a rocket. When Obi-wan and Bant heard the slight crash they exchanged guilty looks and burst out into laughter. Obi-Wan screwed his face into his best impression of Yoda and said,

"Control, control! You must learn control!"

This caused Bant to laugh harder. Obi-Wan looked at the ceiling and saw that the silver ball had made quite an indentation in the ceiling. They were young; no one would blame them... Better to do the Jedi-like thing and admit to the act. Or they could do the safer and easier thing and run away. They ran.

It flashed in his mind and then it was gone. Then just as quickly she was gone and he didn't know who she was. He knew he was missing something, but he didn't know what. The pain continued and he gritted his teeth. The dull colors he was looking at suddenly got brighter and he watched as they blurred and refocused. Obi-Wan didn't understand. He had won... He was so sure. Why were they doing this to him? The colors became so bright that he had to shield his eyes again but he still felt the steady and loud pounding of the electro-pulsars. It was now continuous as if the beats were one long note.

Strangely enough he felt like he was being pulled away slowly. It wasn't that his memories were being ripped away from him but he was slowly being dragged into oblivion and his memories were left behind. Was that it? Obi-Wan tried to crawl back to where his memories floated in dazzling colors and light but they slowly faded away.

"It's going to kill him." A guard remarked.

"Better for him that way." Another gruff voice answered.

__

A white ponytail of hair trailed behind a boy's head as he parried a blow. He was ruthless and his eyes shone with hate. It was time for Bruck's endless string of insults and his perpetual scorn to end. Now. He took the offensive strongly and knew that Qui-Gon's eyes were locked on the both of them. This was the one chance he had to become a padawan and he would not let it be taken away. When the final blow was dealt a wave of triumph washed through Obi-Wan.

'I've won. I beat Bruck soundly. Qui-Gon is impressed.' He told himself.

But he hadn't. It had only made things worse.

'_Like now_.' He thought ironically.

With that thought the memory disappeared without a trace and Obi-Wan was pulled further away. Obi-Wan told himself he had to fight against it. He had only lost a little. If he could just remember a little then others would help fill in the gaps. Despair started to take hold and the pain was weakening his resolve. He was on the verge of falling unconscious and he knew that would be the end.

He started imagining the Memory Wipe as a hungry predator, prowling for memories. At first it hunted down the weak ones, but it longed for juicier prey. What a strange thought. Obi-Wan started to repeat his name over and over in his mind.

'_My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi and I'm the padawan of Qui-Gon Jinn_.'

'_Qui-Gon is going to save me. He is. He is. He will_.'

He didn't come. Obi-Wan cracked an eye open and the pain that it brought sent him reeling back. The rapid thumping of the pulsars began to slow until he could take a breath in between each throb and then it became so slow that he waited in anxiety for each painful pulsation to come. He knew he wasn't safe yet. They were trying to fool him so he would take his defenses down. He was tired and he tried in vain to reach out to the Force but it still lay beyond his grasp. He felt alone and incredibly sick. Maybe if he vomited all over the Memory Wipe Droid it would malfunction... The thought was fleeting. The droid was out of range.

The pulsations were so slow he was almost sure they had stopped. If they asked him his name this time he would lie. He didn't know why he hadn't thought of it in the first place. They wouldn't know if he were. Ah, he was a clever one, but they didn't ask. Instead an incredibly loud _thump_ resonated through his whole body like a ramming stone against a fortress. He cried out in pain and then it came again and again.

"Is this normal?" A younger voice asked.

"Well. I'm not sure.. Nobody gets this far." A nonchalant voice answered.

Each time the blow fell against his mind Obi-Wan screamed. Even with his eyes closed he saw all white and if he thought the light could not get brighter it flared with each pulsation. Each time it got brighter and brighter and he didn't know how much more he could stand. He felt like his mind was chipping away and pieces fell and tore away with each blow. The light became brighter. He screamed one last time before the light became dark and then he fell away into oblivion.

A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates... Wow... Severe lack of updates.... Six months? Wow. Awesome. Thanks to all who believed in me and those who gave me helpful hints I have taken into consideration. Guess when the next update is coming? evil laugh


	5. 5

5

"_Very well," Yoda said. "But by chance alone we do not live our lives. If take an apprentice you will not, then, in time, perhaps fate will choose."_

Qui-Gon was tired, but his mind was restless. The two brothers had fallen asleep at least an hour ago. Their deep breaths were calm save for the occasional snort that their noses issued. Their long arms were sprawled out in angles that couldn't possibly be comfortable, but still they slept. Paxxi had his arms wrapped around the device as if protecting it; protecting the object Obi-Wan risked his freedom for. He must have figured that was the least he could do. Guerra had immediately handed it over to Paxxi as if the anti-register device burned him. The Jedi had read guilt in every posture, every time he looked over at Qui-Gon and then quickly looked away.

Paxxi had assured his brother that everything would be all right in the morning after a little rest and a little food.

"_You'll see. Obawan is so clever that he'll escape all on his own."_

Guerra had nodded slowly and repeated what Paxxi had said. Everything would be clear in the morning. It was no use worrying about when they could no nothing.

Qui-Gon sighed softly into the darkness. He opened his eyes and stared up into the darkness. Obi-Wan's face haunted his eyes. His apprentice. It wasn't even their first official mission and he had already let the boy get captured. It was his plan to split up. Qui-Gon inwardly sighed. He was back on this train of thought again. He couldn't undo the past. He had to deal with the present and trust in the Force that everything would come out right. Unless this was the will of the Force.

Qui-Gon sat up silently. He heard scratching noises and he strained his ears for any sign of danger. All of his senses were on high alert. He was ready to defend himself and the brothers at the first sign of danger. He reached out with the Force, but could feel no sign of danger. He heard a soft squeaking noise and a small rodent scurried across the floor. Qui-Gon slowly exhaled and lay back on the ground. He had hoped it was Obi-Wan, but such a hope was foolish. The boy was resourceful, but he couldn't escape by himself. He still needed guidance. _His _guidance.

Obi-Wan's face lingered in Qui-Gon's mind. He could not sleep. Another face haunted his mind, but this was not the boyish trusting face of his new padawan. This was the past come back to haunt him. His icy blue eyes held an impish menace and his cruel mouth stretched into a humorous smile. The face was mocking him. The image raised its hands and clapped three times slowly. Qui-Gon could almost hear his voice, mocking him. '_That was quick. I thought you'd at least have him for a year before you failed him or he couldn't stand you anymore. Nice work Master Qui-Gon._'

The image disturbed Qui-Gon. It was enough to see him on Bandomeer. He did not have to think about him even more than necessary. He was out there in the ether somewhere and Qui-Gon knew in his heart that he would come back. He wasn't the type to forget things.

Qui-Gon mentally shook the dark thoughts of his former apprentice away and focused on emptying his mind. He took several calming breaths and tried to reach the calm he needed to meditate. When this had failed he shifted his position and slept on his side with his back facing the brothers. When this proved to be uncomfortable he shifted again and he was looking at their peaceful faces.

He wondered if Obi-Wan was sleeping now. Qui-Gon's heart thumped unpleasantly and he took another deep breath. No matter how hard he tried he could not get to sleep. He was too worried about his padawan. The Syndicat was cruel. Would they harm Obi-Wan or only imprison him? Was his padawan dead? Qui-Gon didn't believe that the boy was dead. He _hoped_ he wasn't dead. He had to look at this logically. Obi-wan was an off-worlder impersonating a Syndicat guard who was sent to steal something. But he was also young. Did that merit death? Was Obi-Wan waiting to be executed? A stranger who disappeared was not noticed usually especially in a world run by fear. There were no repercussions if they killed him. Qui-Gon's veins filled with ice.

Qui-Gon's thoughts drifted to a Jedi Knight he knew. They were only acquaintances and rarely spoke to each other. When they crossed paths they would briefly nod and then go on their way. Qui-Gon remembered when the other Jedi Knight took a young twelve-year old boy to be his padawan. He recalled the look of anticipation in the new Master's eyes as they went out on their first mission together. The first missions were carefully chosen to be not too difficult or dangerous though as Yoda always said it was wiser to expect the unexpected.

The mission seemed so simple on first glance. It was a peaceful planet they were sent to. It wasn't off on the other end of the galaxy. It was close to Courscant and they were only there to act as witnesses to the coronation of the leader recently elected. It looked so simple and the Jedi Masters deemed that it should be their first mission.

The new master-padawan team arrived on the planet and everything was fine. The people were celebrating and the Jedi Knight couldn't even sense any tension. He remembered the look in their eyes as they left, but the look in the Master's eyes as he came back was even more vivid. A myriad of emotions were absorbed and reflected into them like some sort of crystalline prism. Grief, shock, guilt, anger, disbelief, and misery. The Jedi Knight was broken. He was a shell of what he once was. He was a failure.

It wasn't until much later that Qui-Gon had learned what happened to the apprentice. When the new leader Kemen was being appointed, the former leader, Setun, would have to cede his position to him in a public display. Seten was a decent and fair man and he knew when he had been beaten. He stepped down without hesitation and with little reluctance. The people were happy and everything was going according to plan. There was one person, however, who was not happy. Seten's only living family member was his sister who since his appointment lived in luxury. He may have been willing to give it up, but she was not.

As the day of the coronation approached the sister became more anxious than usual. She was a lethally cunning woman, but she was also proud. She underestimated the padawan and wrote him off as a simple boy. It was he who overheard her plot to assassinate the new leader. She had covered all of her tracks. She even went as far as to create a radical group who would purposely get caught in the act. The padawan and the Master informed Kemen of his current predicament, but they did not want to stop the coronation from happening. It would place fear on the whole government that it wasn't safe.

Extra security measures were taken and the Jedi were especially alert. They were able to stop the assassination attempt, but a great panic was caused and the radical movement that the sister created starting attacking in the streets. Many were killed in seconds and many others were trampled in the stampede of people trying to escape. The Master and his padawan tried to restore order, but knew the futility in the action. The Master and the apprentice got separated in the melee and it was hours later before the Master found the dead and trampled body of his padawan. He had been shot once in the chest.

The Master came back a very changed man. He was withdrawn and depressed. Guilt was stored in his heart. The worst of it all was the fear. He became so afraid of getting someone hurt that he was paralyzed. He could not make decisions anymore, and the fear ruled his life. After several months the Jedi Council knew that it would be too dangerous to send him out on a mission. His indescion and instability might cause others to get hurt.

He could not find peace with himself and so he eventually left the temple of his own choice. He was confirmed dead a few months after that. Qui-Gon knew that peace was not easily obtained. He still lived with some of the guilt of his first padawan. Would he become useless and frail if he found his current padawan dead? He lost his first one to greed and the dark side of the Force. He accepted this and lived with it. Even Jedi make mistakes, but if he failed his second padawan what right would he have to be a Master anymore?

Qui-Gon inwardly shuddered. The grief stricken almost manic eyes came back to his mind again, but they were his own. Was the Force trying to tell him something? Was he not meant to be Obi-Wan's Master? Qui-Gon shook his head. No, Yoda had practically thrown them together. If there was anyone who remotely understand the inner workings of the Force it was Yoda. A new and evil thought snaked his way into his mind.

_Wasn't this what you wanted? You did not ask for another Padawan. You have helped the galaxy far more alone than you have with a padawan. You were guilted into taking him. This is your second chance._

Qui-Gon ignored the voice. His own doubts and fears were working against him. He knew the more he pondered them the more they would hurt him. He had to believe in the Force. He would need a clear mind in the morning and so he desperately needed to sleep. Qui-Gon forced all thoughts from his mind and eventually he slept deeply.

He did not dream. He did not remember dreaming, but something roused him from his sleep. Perhaps it was another mouse setting his Jedi reflexes on alert or maybe it was another sound that could be threatening. Qui-Gon didn't know. His body was still and his breathing was deep. He was absolutely awake and his senses were on high alert. Something had awoken him. Something… Qui-Gon then felt a wave of pure despair hit him. The desolation nearly knocked the breath out of him and his hands started to mildly shake. He looked at them and did not understand. He felt totally incapacitated by a feeling of nothingness until he thought that he would die. Then as suddenly as it came it was gone and his heart beat normally as if nothing had happened. Qui-Gon sat quickly and looked out into the darkness.

Where did that feeling come from? His mind wandered and then the answer hit him like the tide against a cliff. Obi-Wan. His padawan was experiencing that despair. Obi-Wan had lost hope. What could possibly make his padawan loose hope? Even when he had rejected Obi-Wan as his padawan Obi-Wan still had hope that he would be his padawan. Qui-Gon saw it in the determination of the boy's eyes. Qui-Gon felt the guilt he had banished awhile creep back on him. His padawan was suffering because he could not save him. Not even their first official mission and he was as good as dead… No, that was not true. There was still… _What hope?_ A dark voice in his mind asked snidely. _You felt that there is no hope. Nothing will save him. He will die._ Qui-Gon ignored that voice. There was always hope with the presence of the Force.

"Jedi-Gon?" Guerra's sleepy voice came out of the darkness.

"Yes?" Qui-Gon asked quietly. He was afraid his voice might betray his true feelings to the already guilty Phindian.

"I thought I was the only one awake. I can't sleep."

"Not so?" Qui-Gon tried to joke.

"Well, not _so_ so."

The two both took a long sigh and Guerra stumbled over to Qui-Gon to sit in front of him.

"I'm afraid for Obawan."

"I am as well." Qui-Gon again said softly.

"Every time I close my eyes I see his face, but he is angry with me. He thinks I betrayed him. I did. No lie."

Qui-Gon looked with pity on the Phindian. The Jedi Master was not the only one who blamed themselves. The guilt must have been especially heavy on Guerra.

"It was not your fault Guerra." Qui-Gon reassured.

"It is though." Guerra protested. "I could've..."

Qui-Gon shook his head and squeezed Guerra's shoulder reassuringly.

"We all could've done something. We could have not even gone, but then where would that get us? Obi-wan knew that we had to get the device. I would have done the same thing."

"You wouldn't have left him." Guerra said dejectedly.

Qui-Gon paused to think before he spoke. No, he wouldn't have left Obi-Wan. He would have made the boy leave with the device just like Obi-wan did with Guerra.

"There was nothing you could've done Guerra. Do you think Obi-Wan would let you?"

"But…"

"You said so yourself Guerra. He tricked you."

"I know all this." Guerra said hopelessly. "But it doesn't make it go away."

"No. It doesn't." Qui-Gon remarked.

"Do you think he is all right?" Guerra asked.

Qui-Gon took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He remembered the debilitating fear that had come over him; that came from Obi-wan. No, Obi-Wan was not all right.

"Yes, Guerra." Qui-Gon lied. "Obi-Wan is a very brave young man. He will no doubt be wondering if _we_ are all right."

Guerra smiled lightly.

"That is so." He said.

"You should get back to sleep." Qui-Gon suggested and Guerra nodded.

The Phindian sauntered over to where he had been previously sleeping and plopped down beside his brother. Qui-Gon lay back down and closed his eyes. He took deep and even breaths and calmed his mind once again.

"It's not your fault either Qui-Gon." Guerra sleepily said.

The corners of Qui-Gon's mouth slightly upturned and then he fell asleep.

A/N: Okay, so it's not six months, but I decided to be nice… Well actually, I've had more time to write. When's the next update you ask? Not till JULY 2009. That's when! MWHAHAH. Well, at least I didn't get your hopes up right?


	6. 6

6

* * *

"_The renewed," he said softly. "So sad."_

"_So," Paxxi agreed.

* * *

_

His eyes opened, slowly, painfully. Everything hurt. Why was there so much pain? He first only focused on the pain and wondered why, _why_ did everything hurt so much? His hands tingled and they were shaking. His head was pounding ferociously and every time he moved some new lance of pain would shoot through his body. He mewled pitifully and wished for it to stop. He heard a sound and immediately he concentrated on it. What was it? Something was approaching nearer and he didn't trust it. It was probably the thing that put him in so much pain. It was then that he looked at his surroundings. He was trapped! He couldn't get out! He couldn't escape! He grabbed the bars of his prison and tried to force them apart. They wouldn't budge. Why was he trapped? He wanted to run away, but couldn't. His heart beat faster and as the sounds got louder he became terrified. He shook like a leaf and huddled into the smallest ball he could.

The sounds stopped and he peeked above his arms to see a face leering at him. The face smiled and he cowered further. There was another sound that came from its mouth. It was laughing.

"What's your name?" It asked harshly.

Name? What? Was that everything needed to know to be set free? If so he would tell it and it would go away and leave him alone! Why did they do this to him? He searched for his name. Surely he had a name, but it wasn't there. Where was his name? Did they take his name? How can you take a name? He had a name! He was sure of it. What did they do with his name? Why were they asking if they already took it? He searched frantically, but all he met was a void.

"Your _name_!" It bellowed again.

He didn't know! Didn't it understand? He didn't know! Why did it take his name and then ask for it? _Why why why?_ He wanted his name back. It was his. He started to panic when he realized that he didn't know anything about himself. Who was he? What was he? And the most insistent was _why_? He was dizzy and he was scared.

There was the weird laughing sound again and he further retreated into the farthest corner of his cage.

"This one is cooked." It said.

It was then when he realized that there was more than one of them. There were many. He counted on his fingers and there were three. He looked at his three fingers and was proud of himself. At least he knew that. There was a squeaking and clanking sound and then one of the walls that surrounded him was gone. He crawled towards it, but that made him dizzy and he fell down with a cry. His vision reeled.

"Took long enough." One of them grumbled.

The others grunted agreement.

"It should make the bet more interesting though." One commented.

"I'll say four days at the most."

"Four? Are you stupid? He's only a boy. I say he won't last a day. Look at him. He's literally shaking himself to death."

They all looked at the boy who was indeed quivering.

"What do you think he's thinking?" One asked.

The other two made a scornful face and rolled their eyes.

"He's not thinking nothing. He can't."

"Well, it looks like he's thinking of something."

"That's just your imagination."

"Well, I say he'll last a week on Gala. He's smart."

"Not anymore!" The two others said and all three of them laughed.

The boy wanted out! He didn't know who he was or where he was or WHY he was, but he knew he didn't want to be with _them_. They were cruel! They put him here! It was all _their_ fault. He wanted out so desperately that he forced his agonized body out of the cell that imprisoned him. He squirmed a few feet out of the cell and then a wave of dizziness assaulted his senses. He slumped forward and lost consciousness, and the black void of his mind was further thrown into the deep darkness of oblivion.

"He'll sleep now." A guard commented.

"He won't dream." The second added.

The three guards then began casting lots and wagering their dirty money on how long a lost boy would live in a galaxy where it was easier to look away than to help. The lost boy who was once Obi-Wan Kenobi did not dream.

Qui-Gon's eyes opened slowly and they noted the small shaft of sunlight that came through the hastily boarded window. He rose to a sitting position and his thoughts started racing through his head. Today he would rescue Obi-Wan. Nothing would stop him. Even if it went against common sense he would still try. He owed that much to his new padawan. Qui-Gon briefly tried to reach out to Obi-Wan through the newly formed Master-Padawan bond. He knew the bond was there, but it was too new to really help him. He didn't sense anything. There hadn't been enough time since Bandomeer.

Qui-Gon took a deep breath and collected himself. The Derida brothers were already up and about and had scrounged together something for breakfast.

"So Jedi-Gon finally awakes." Paxxi said.

"We were afraid you would sleep all day and we would have to rescue Obawan by ourselves." Guerra said.

"Not so brother! You lie."

"It is not so. I knew you would wake up."

Qui-Gon smiled lightly at their banter. They were trying to keep the mood as light as possible despite the circumstances. They were good people. He felt a new wave of wonderment in the Living Force that guided him to these two beings. He only wished that there were many more people like Guerra and Paxxi in the universe. They may be criminals, but they were loyal and they generally knew what the right thing was.

They took another bite of whatever it was they were eating and offered Qui-Gon a smile.

"Would you like some of our delicious breakfast Jedi-Gon?"

Qui-Gon could see that the food they clutched in their hands was anything but delicious, but he needed his strength if he was going to rescue Obi-Wan. He still hadn't figured out just how he was going to liberate his padawan from the Syndicat. He had a strange image of himself running into Syndicat Headquarters yelling like a madman. His would hold his ignited lightsaber in one hand and wave it around erratically to scare people. He had to add the frazzled hair and red eyes to complete the picture. Amidst all of his doubt and guilt Qui-Gon laughed. Was that how some people picture the Jedi?

Qui-Gon took a piece of stale bread and managed to choke it down. Strangely enough he didn't feel like eating anymore.

"It's good! Not so! Not so!" Paxxi exclaimed.

Qui-Gon managed to keep a serene face and took another bite of the stale and moldy tasting bread. It was absolutely disgusting. His heart was much lighter though.

"We signaled Duenna. She will meet us in the market in an hour. She'll know what happened to Obawan." Guerra said.

Qui-Gon nodded, but did not say anything. There wasn't much to say anyways. They all knew the direness of the situation and the danger Obi-Wan was in, but they had hope. He knew it was a small hope, but it was still there. Obi-Wan would be all right. He was a Jedi. Jedi knew how to take care of themselves. Even if he was a padawan Qui-Gon had seen strength in Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan would survive to help others.

Paxxi handed Qui-Gon a round black object that looked suspiciously like a piece of fruit. Qui-Gon nearly lost his mask of serenity upon looking at it. It was the size of a fist and it looked very old and revolting.

"What is it?" Qui-Gon asked.

The Jedi Master was slightly afraid that he would have to eat that black _thing_ that he now held in his hands.

"It's edible!" The Derida brothers chorused. "That's all you need to know."

"Not so brother!" Guerra said. "That's all he _wants_ to know."

The brothers laughed and Qui-Gon took a bite of the black _thing_. Turns out, it was a fruit. It was a very bitter, nasty, unpleasant, malodorous, sticky, weird textured piece of rotten fruit. It wasn't that bad… Qui-Gon munched it and hid a triumphant smile as he noticed the Derida brother's faces fall. Obviously they had wanted to see the great Jedi Master spit out the food.

"It's not bad." Qui-Gon said.

The two brothers gave him a disgusted look that to Qui-Gon was quite humorous. They then smiled and started clapping Qui-Gon's back.

"Not so Jedi-Gon! You lie!" They chorused.

"What are you talking about?" Qui-Gon asked innocently.

The two brothers began to laugh. Qui-Gon gave them an innocent and ignorant expression.

"What?" He asked and they laughed harder.

Soon they were both rolling around on the floor laughing and Qui-Gon felt the living Force flow through him. It comforted him and he began to feel optimistic. The Force was with him. It pulsed around everything. It was everywhere and everything and he could call upon it whenever he wished. He would rescue his padawan and their Force bond would become stronger for it.

Qui-Gon smiled lightly and knew everything would be all right. The Force was with him and the Force was with Obi-Wan. The will of the Force brought them together and it would not keep them apart.

The boy woke up extremely disoriented. The floor buzzed beneath him and he heard a light humming sound. His eyes hurt and he still did not know where he was. He wasn't in the cage. He slightly panicked. His whole world was that cage and now it was gone! Where was he? He remembered wanting out of the cage, but now he wanted back in. It was too big. TOO BIG! He backed up against the nearest wall. His breathing became rapid and his heart was racing. He put his hands over his eyes. When he couldn't see anything he started to calm down. His world was reduced to the darkness and the memory of the cage and those things that talked to him.

Slowly he began to calm down and the questions came back. Where was he? What was his name? Why did someone take his name? How could someone take a name? Why didn't he know his name? He knew he should be able to. He knew he must have one… But there was nothing. Why was he here? _Why? WHY? WHY?_ The boy uncovered his eyes and saw his larger world appear again. His heart began to pound again, but he wasn't as terrified as before. Slowly he began to accept this larger world.

He tried to stand up, but he began to feel nauseous and so sat back down. His head started to hurt and he placed his hand on his forehead to see if anything was there that was causing this pain. There was nothing that he could feel. The boy was mystified. Surely _something_ was there. He felt his forehead again and still could not find the culprit to his pain. Naturally he assumed that there must be something _inside_ that he couldn't get to. This slightly scared him and he took his hand away from his pounding forehead.

He leaned back against the bulkhead and his eyes changed from slightly terror stricken to a dull and blank gaze. He didn't want to think about whatever might be living inside of his head so he choose to not think at all. It wasn't hard. He didn't have many thoughts to sort through. As far as he was concerned he hadn't even existed before today. Today he was, but yesterday he wasn't. He accepted it.

The gentle humming of the floor eventually lulled the boy back to a dreamless sleep. His chest fell up and down rhythmically and he was completely still. He looked serene, but that was only because his face didn't make an expression. He almost looked dead save for the rising and falling of his chest. But even the dead had expressions on their faces, even if they were minute. There was no expression on the sleeping boy's face. There was no joy, no anger, and no fear. There was nothing

He couldn't be sad for what once was or angry for what was done to him. Remorse and anger belonged to someone who did not exist anymore. They belonged to a Jedi padawan named Obi-Wan Kenobi, but he's gone now. There's no use worrying about him

* * *

_A/N: Quotes are taken directly from the JA books and integrated. Yes, you all know this… You guys are spoiled now. It hasn't even been a month since I last updated._


	7. 7

7

* * *

"Yes, it is bad there. But to be Phindian is to hope."

"Yes," Qui-Gon said quietly. "You must always hope."

* * *

Qui-Gon did his best to blend in with the crowd. It was not hard. The marketplace was packed with rushing Phindians looking for something to buy. There was a cold desperation in their eyes. They knew that if they did not get something to eat soon their children would starve. They would die… Children weren't supposed to die. Children were supposed to live. They had little money, but even that was useless to them now. If no food was on Phindar how could round metal discs feed them ?

Qui-Gon felt their fear and despair through the Force. It dampened his previous good feelings and he began to worry again. Guerra and Paxxi were silent beside him. Their eyes were full of determination and sadness. Qui-Gon felt their resolve strengthen. He also felt the hope in them. It was small, but if fueled the fires to their hearts. Could a being survive off of hope and love only? No. Hope and love only provided the means in which to live.

Three pairs of eyes scanned the gathering crowd. The amount of people was growing tremendously, but there was nothing to buy. Some waited in line, knowing that there was nothing. Waiting was something they could do with their broken lives. Life had lost all meaning save for the accumulation of basic needs. If even these could not be obtained then there was no purpose. Waiting in line was their way of fooling themselves. It was like when someone was looking for something lost and they already looked one place, but they check again half-expecting it to be there.

Assassin droids monitored and the sun glinted off their metal shells. The Jedi put his hood over his head and acted inconspicuous. No one noticed that he wasn't Phindian. They were too busy with their own troubles.

Qui-Gon was starting to get impatient. Duenna was at least ten minutes late. How could she dawdle when Obi-Wan's life was at stake? He started to get anxious, but his exterior revealed nothing so far. He had the allusion of calm. The brothers either had the same or were not worried. Qui-Gon set his mind to finding Duenna in the crowd, but doing so as to not draw attention. While his attention was mostly focused elsewhere someone bumped into him and he stumbled back a step. The figure had stopped when he had hit Qui-Gon and looked as if he were deliberating the next course of action. The Phindian was young. He looked younger than Guerra and Paxxi, but his eyes were blank. He was lost and confused. Qui-Gon knew right away that this young Phindian had been Renewed.

Qui-Gon was at a loss on what to do. His ethics and morals told him to help the individual, but what help could he possibly give? How could anyone help the Renewed? They were a lost people. Lost forever… Qui-Gon's thoughts drifted once again and he felt a tinge of fear course through him like adrenaline. The Renewed Phindian looked at Qui-Gon as if he were a wall. He didn't understand why that wall was there and he wondered if the wall would move. Qui-Gon was going to step out of the way when he heard Paxxi cry out,

"Nivva!"

Qui-Gon turned and watched Paxxi's eyes widen in horror. Paxxi pushed past Qui-Gon and grabbed the Renewed Phindian by his shoulders.

"Nivva! It's me Paxxi!"

Nivva's confusion grew. Now there was another wall in front of him, but this wall was much different from the other wall. This was one of those strange walls that called him _Nivva_. He didn't like these walls. They touched him and scared him. They pretended to know him, but he didn't know them.

"Nivva. Not you too. Please? Nivva. Say not so!"

Guerra put a hand on Paxxi's shoulder and drew him away from the Renewed Phindian. Nivva, seeing that all the walls were out of his way for the moment continued to walk forward. Soon he was lost in the crowd.

"Guerra! They got Nivva!" Paxxi whined.

"It is so. No lie." Guerra said sedately.

The two brothers embraced each other in their usual hug, but they only squeezed twice instead of their usual three times. The two let go of each other and turned downcast eyes towards Qui-Gon.

"Nivva was part of the resistance," Guerra began. "He was like us, a thief, but he had the strangest laugh. We'd try and find jokes to make him laugh just so we could laugh when he heard him laugh. It was high pitched and squeaky and sometimes he sounded like a mynoch."

The two brothers slightly smiled.

"He idolized Paxxi. I don't know why. I was the better thief…"

"Not so, brother!" Paxxi interjected.

"..Better at running, at making jokes, better looking too."

"Not so! Not so! You lie brother."

Guerra smiled.

"Well maybe a little." Guerra admitted.

The brothers laughed quietly, but even that small sound seemed utterly out of place in the marketplace.

"Nivva used to wear the same clothes as Paxxi, walk the same way, talk the same way…"

"Yes, every other word was 'not so!' or 'you lie!'. Even if it didn't make sense."

"He was young to join the resistance, but he was like the rest of us. He had been hurt by the Syndicat. His parents were still alive and so were his siblings. They were not.." Guerra shuddered. "Renewed. He lived a happy life."

"Not so." Breathed Paxxi.

"You are right brother. Not so. He was tired of accepting the oppression and starvation. He was tired of doing nothing."

"So he left."

"And joined us."

Qui-Gon looked at the Derida brother's faces and then all around him. In this marketplace alone were more woeful stories to add to the already thick volume of those who suffered from injustice and cruelty. He hoped that Obi-Wan's fate would not be that of the Phindians. It was too soon for the boy to die. It couldn't be the will of the Force. Obi-Wan will do great things when he was older. He felt it.

"It's funny," Paxxi began. "He always said he would kill himself before he would allow them to renew him."

There was a deep silence and Qui-Gon closed his eyes. He felt their grief sharply .

"He always hated the renewing most of all." Guerra said softly. "He said it was worse than death. He said you died, but your body still walked around."

As Guerra spoke the words the image of Obi-Wan came unbidden to Qui-Gon's mind. He still wore his Jedi robes and his hair was still in the padawan style, but his eyes were blank. They passed over everything without a second glance. His padawan… Renewed.

Qui-Gon's heart clenched painfully. His anxiety from the previous night came back and he started to pace around. He hoped it didn't look too suspicious. He couldn't stop pacing no more than he could stop his rapid pulse. He felt like he had to do something and soon. _Now_. Before it was too late. Where was Duenna? Why was she late? Every second ticked by painfully and was putting the notoriously calm Master on edge.

His hand rested on his lightsaber. He'd single handedly charge Syndicat headquarters if he had to. All of the lessons on patience were doing him no good now. How many times had he himself told a young initiate or even a fellow knight to be patient? How many times had he told his former padawan that? He could recall many instances…

Xanatos's leering face came back to Qui-Gon's mind. Blue eyes made of ice regarded him with scorn, but they were also filled with amusement. '_See now the hypocrite you are?_' His voice asked. '_Patience? Where is your patience now Qui-Gon Jinn?_'

Qui-Gon shook the image away, but he swore he could still hear his old padawan laughing at him. Qui-Gon had it. He was going to rescue Obi-Wan. Now. He'd find out soon enough what his apprentice's fate was. He stopped pacing and faced the Derida brothers.

"I'm going to headquarters myself." He said darkly. "I'll find a way."

The brothers shook their heads.

"No, no, Jedi-Gon. You can't." They said and grabbed his arms.

"He's my apprentice." Qui-Gon said simply.

"Wait for Duenna. She'll come. It's hard for her to get away, but she can. It takes time Jedi-Gon. Just wait."

Guerra and Paxxi began to look over the heads of their fellow Phindians for Duenna. Their gazes were desperate. They knew they couldn't stop Qui-Gon from going. Guerra breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her. She was cloaked, but he still recognized her.

"There she is!" Paxxi cried.

Qui-Gon immediately turned his head to see Duenna walking at a brisk pace towards them. One of the knots in his stomach unclenched, but another one formed. He was almost on the verge of becoming frantic.

"Any news of Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon immediately asked.

He knew he wasn't being very respectful, but it seemed unimportant at the time. She looked sort of frazzled and it was obvious that her brisk pace had worn her out. She was an older woman after all. He regretted his lack of courtesy and made a note to apologize later.

"I'm sorry. It was difficult to get away. Headquarters is on high alert. The Prince arrives tomorrow…"

Damn the woman! She was rambling on about Prince Beju and anything besides his padawan. She was purposely withholding Obi-Wan's fate. Qui-Gon's anger began to simmer.

"And Obi-Wan, what of him?" He asked edgily.

Qui-Gon had to give Duenna credit for not shrinking back. An impatient Jedi Master was not taken lightly.

"I was getting there! Be patient Master Jedi!" Duenna said.

Qui-Gon felt those words like a slap in the face. PATIENCE? NOW? Qui-Gon didn't notice Duenna's eyes drop slightly.

"They acted so fast. I've never seen them act so fast." She said softly.

Guerra and Paxxi exchanged a look.

"He was taken to a cell." She said.

"Where?" Qui-Gon demanded.

A cell? That was good. There might still be time to rescue him then. If Obi-Wan was taken to a cell then it means that they didn't immediately kill him. Qui-Gon's fear began to unravel. It would be all right.

Qui-Gon felt a gentle hand on his arm and he saw Duenna looking into his eyes.

"He's there no longer."

Those four words were like a dagger into his heart. He was dead. His padawan was dead. He failed him. That's why she was so slow in telling him what happened to Obi-Wan. She was having a hard time saying it. _Obi-Wan is dead_. Qui-Gon looked into Duenna's eyes to find the truth. They were full of pity. No… It couldn't be. He wouldn't believe…

"What happened?" He managed to choke out.

He had to know for certain. He had to know if he would be taking a boy or a body back to the Jedi Temple with him. There were no tears on Duenna's face, but there was a deep sadness. She was silent for a long time as if she was gathering up the courage to say it. Qui-Gon almost took her by the shoulders and shook her to get the information out of her.

"What happened?" Qui-Gon repeated.

Duenna looked deep into Qui-Gon's nearly frantic eyes and then lowered them to the ground.

"He was renewed."

Qui-Gon froze and almost shut out what she said next.

"….Last night. He was renewed and transported off planet at dawn." She concluded and looked at the ground.

Duenna did not want to see the look in the Jedi's eyes. She already knew what it felt like to loose someone to renewing. She already knew what she would see if she looked at him. She knew of the wound that would haunt him every day of his life and the helplessness that would come from it. She knew many things.

Instead of looking at the Jedi Duenna looked at her sons. They were both supporting each other under some sort of weight. Guerra, her Guerra, was mouthing something incoherent and Paxxi shook his head slowly. They were her sons and at that moment she felt an unsettling feeling rise within her. As she watched the two console each other a frightening thought entered her mind. _You will lose all of your children_.

At that moment Duenna wanted to take her children into her arms and hold them forever, but she could not. She had to get back or Terra would start to suspect. Beautiful Terra. She believed, as she always had, that her Terra would come back to her. It would only take time. Perhaps she should tell the Jedi that. She should tell them that she still had hope and that he should too. But there was no time.

"I'm… sorry." Duenna said softly, still not looking at Qui-Gon. "I must go back. I will inform you of anything more I learn of Obi-Wan…"

Qui-Gon barely nodded and Duenna disappeared into the crowd like a wraith. Qui-Gon felt like he had to sit down, but he remained standing. The fear that threatened to consume him had evaporated, but something just as debilitating took its place: despondence. He couldn't figure out whether it was worse living in frantic uncertainty or with the horrible truth. His padawan is gone.

He had the vague recollection of Guerra and Paxxi leading him back to Kaadi's house, but his mind was only focused on one thing. _Obi-Wan is gone._

_

* * *

_

A/N: Yes, yes, I know. A month. I actually had it written at least a week ago, but I didn't post. No, I'm not trying to torture you guys... Well, maybe a little. Thanks for the support.


	8. 8

8

* * *

"…_They memory wipe the person, then drop them on another world, somewhere terrible. The person has no memory of who they are or what they can do. It is a game for the Syndicat. They bet on how long the person will survive. A probe droid follows them and sends back holo-pictures of what happens. Most do not survive."_

* * *

The boy was sleeping soundly when the Syndicat guards came back. The door to the cargo hold opened and the three guards stepped through. The boy did not stir. He remained in his oblivion. One of the three paused at the doorway and stared at the boy. He couldn't understand what made him pause. It wasn't some sort of moral dilemma. He had seen enough people renewed and helped with the process. He recalled an old Phindian rebel who begged him to kill him instead of renewal. The old rebel pleaded and even tried to choke himself, but a couple jabs with a force pike rendered those attempts useless. He thought it was very funny at the time; watching him squirm and mewl. He still thought it was funny. That old rebel looked like a little worm rolling on the ground. He'd even made unintelligible sounds because someone had jabbed his neck.

He didn't last long. It was about five hours if he could remember correctly. He mistook a pint of some sort of caustic degreaser for a beverage. From there he and his fellow Syndicat guards bet on how much and how long the old rebel would expel the contents of his stomach. It was really funny and very profitable. He had won that bet much to the dismay of his fellow guards. Sometimes you got lucky.

So it wasn't some sort of moral crisis. It was his job and he found ways to make it interesting. Looking at that sleeping human boy he was reminded of his own son Trada. They looked about the same age. The Phindian smiled lightly. Trada was probably shirking his chores right about now. He wondered what he would do if Trada were in the human boy's place. The thought left him disturbed and he looked at the boy again to make sure it wasn't Trada. He inwardly sighed. It wasn't Trada; it was just a human.

What was a human boy doing on Phindar anyway? Phindar wasn't exactly a tourist attraction. The boy obviously had to be a rebel. Why else would he come to Phindar? The blockade around the planet made it hard for unwanted guests to arrive. Some people, however, were determined. But the boy was only a boy. Surely he had someone else on the planet with him. A father perhaps? Did that father miss his son right now? Did he know what happened? Did he know that his son didn't exist anymore?

The guard didn't know why he paused. It was only a rebel. The other guards jarred the boy awake and hauled him to his feet. The boy was afraid, but he also had that pitiful blank look on his face. It really got old after awhile. The guards roughly pushed him out of the cargo hold and laughed about some joke. The boy was doing fairly well. At least he hadn't had a panic attack yet. Some of the renewed became so terrified that they died. Their hearts stopped working. Those were called dead bets. No one usually profited from those. They come from the most unlikely of people. Sometimes you can look at a person and say, 'he'll last a week for sure.' and then he falls down dead on the spot.

He shrugged. Those dead bets really annoyed him sometimes. He'd lost a lot of money on this one they were going to send to Sullust. Well, he couldn't dwell on the negative. He'd won a few ones too.

He trailed after the boy and his comrades. They were laughing and pushing the boy along.

"Hey Mali!" One of them named Bervic called behind them. "What did you bet again?"

"200 on Four days to a week." He answered.

The other two laughed.

"Well, which is it? Four days or a week?" Bervic asked.

Mali looked at the boy's blank face and paused again. His son's image popped into his head again.

"A standard week." He answered.

"You're a crazy fool Mali, but I'll take your money any day!" He answered and laughed.

Bervic pushed the boy roughly and the boy stumbled forward. They were nearing the end of the ship and Mali felt a sense of dread overwhelm him. Was his bet a bad one? He really was crazy to bet 200 credits on a boy who couldn't be older than sixteen. He really couldn't tell ages in humans.

The four got to the end of the ship and stopped. The boy looked at the door with interest as if studying and memorizing every detail of it. Bervic smiled impishly.

"Ready to face your new life?" He asked the boy.

The boy continued to look at the door. Mali believed that Bervic had a little too much fun at his job. There was enjoying what you did and then there was getting high off of it. Anyone could see that Bervic loved to gamble and that wasn't a sin in itself if used in moderation. Bervic didn't know when to quit. If he lost he just found another person to renew and he'd win some of it back. Bervic was living on the edge and he got a strange elation out of it.

Bervic opened the hatch and a wind blasted in the four faces for a few seconds. They looked out at the Gala spaceport hanger. Pilots and other Galacians milled about minding their own business. The boy froze at the sight of so many beings. Mali nudged him forward, but the boy was paralyzed. His mouth opened and his eyes went abnormally wide. Bervic chortled and roughly pushed the boy down the ramp. The boy caught his balance before he fell and then ran up the ramp back towards the three guards. He was visibly shaking.

Bervic pushed him again this time more roughly and the boy tumbled down the ramp. He ran back up the ramp and tried to get past the three guards and back on the ship. When he realized the impossibility of the situation he grabbed hold of one of the guards.

"Shirk, what is he doing?" Bervic asked the guard that the boy grabbed.

"I don't know! I think he likes us!" Shirk answered with amusement.

Bervic kicked him and the boy cried out but still hung on to Shirk.

"He's got a nice grip," Shirk commented. "You don't think he thinks we're his parents or something do you?"

Bervic waved away the statement.

"That's stupid. He doesn't think we're his parents." Mali said.

"Obviously," Bervic began. "He thinks you're his mother."

"What?" Shirk protested.

"Well, you have that motherly air about you."

Shirk took a swing at Bervic who dodged. The boy let go of Shirk and ran back into the ship. Bervic and Shirk cursed loudly and ran after him. They found him back in the cargo hold with his face against the cool metal hull. He looked calm once again.

"We had the same problem with this little rebel we were going to drop on Ryloth. He grabbed hold of a seat restraint, don't ask me how, and he wouldn't let go. We had to knock him out and then throw him in some alley." Shirk said.

"You had to carry him all that way?" Mali asked.

Shirk nodded.

"At least the locals didn't mind. One told me to throw my garbage elsewhere, but that was it."

"Garbage," Bervic chuckled. "That's a good one."

"I don't want to carry him all that way." Mali complained. "They don't pay us enough."

The two nodded in agreement. They stood staring at the boy and pondering what to do about the situation.

"We could pick him up and throw him out." Shirk suggested.

Bervic and Mali considered it for awhile and decided it was the best they could come up with.

"Who's going to do it?" Mali asked.

They looked at each other and knew that not one of them would volunteer. They put their right fist in front of them and pounded it three times against their left palm. At the end of the third slap Shirk and Bervic had two fingers out while Mali had his hand flat. Mali cursed his luck and moved towards the boy. He knew if he paused now Shirk and Bervic would mock him. He couldn't help but think of Trada again. He missed his son. When he got back to Phindar he was going to do some sort of father-son thing.

The boy cowered away from Mali as he approached, but kept his hands on the flat wall. His eyes were at that strange blank state instead of fear. That was good. They were easier to control when they were passive. Mali picked the boy up with a heavy grunt and made his way back towards the ramp of the ship. As he neared the door the boy began to tense up. He noticed that the boy closed his eyes and held on to him tighter. Mali walked down the ramp and threw the boy with a great heave. The boy hit the ground with a loud thud and he rolled on the ground.

"Have fun!" Bervic yelled after him.

Mali quickly ran up the ramp. A probe droid floated down the ramp and hovered over the fallen boy. Once inside the ship Mali looked at the boy one last time until the door closed. Bervic and Shik called after him and Mali quickly joined them.

"Now the real fun begins." Bervic said.

Mali nodded and brought out a holo of his son Trada. He looked nothing like the renewed boy. The holo was a funny one. Trada was in a crouching position and had his long arms at strange angles. Mali smiled and shook his head.

"That your son?" Shirk asked.

"Yeah." Mali answered.

"He looks just like you." Shirk commented.

"He's not _that_ ugly." Bervic jested and they all laughed.

The boy got off the ground slowly and deliberately. He didn't know what had happened. One moment he was in the familiar place and then the next he was being carried away from it. He didn't move at all and someone he got somewhere new. How did that happen? He was at a loss as of what to do. Everything around him was different. It was too much. There were other things walking around. They went one place and then they went another. Most times they stayed in the same place and started making loud noises.

The boy felt the familiar panic rise up inside of him again. When he was first taken from his familiar place and saw the new place he was frightened. How could so much exist at the same time? How could anyone keep track of it all? He looked around the space hanger in fear and awe. It was the noises that scared him the most. Not only did the moving beings make loud and angry noises, but the large objects they were near made strange whining or humming sounds. When a whining sound was made it was followed by angry sounds coming from the beings.

The boy took several deep breaths and closed his eyes. The world was larger and as the world became larger he became smaller. As he took in each new detail he realized that he was becoming less important with each second. With only the first beings he encountered it was only the four of them. They were the whole world. Now… There were so many and because there were so many an individual was insignificant. Upon coming to this realization the boy began to calm down. There may have been many, but they were all the same which made him the same as well.

He took one last look around the space hanger and began to walk in a random direction. He heard a whirring noise behind him and he looked to see a small floating object with a shiny lens following him. He looked at the shiny black lens and saw a tiny boy in it which was his reflection. He reached out for the image, but the probot backed away. The boy wondered why and how a littler boy was stuck in the tiny floating object. Was there a way to get out? Perhaps the littler being that he saw on the floating object was like the thing that lived inside of his head. The pain had stopped in his head so did that mean that the being had gotten out?

The boy didn't know. He didn't even know his name. He thought he knew he should have a name, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe since there were so many beings that no one had a name. The boy accepted and moved on. He began to walk in the direction he had chosen before, but suddenly stopped. He didn't want to go that way. He turned around and walked in the opposite direction and began to walk. A lazy smile appeared on his face. It was a good direction he felt. The right direction.

He was walking through the hanger and he passed a being that made a strange gesture at him. The boy ignored it and continued to walk. A strange light was coming from an opening and he went towards it. The light blinded his eyes for a second, but when they adjusted the boy stood still. The world suddenly became immense and infinite. The boy looked up and saw what he knew to be the sky. It was a pale blue color and it was everywhere. There was no end to it. It kept going on forever. The source of light shone faintly, but enough to warm the planet. The streets were paved and scores of pale beings thronged them for a myriad of purposes.

The boy was no longer frightened by the sheer number of them anymore. He already knew that there was many. He accepted that it was beyond his knowledge and ability to know how many. The number of them rose exponentially every time he checked. Perhaps they too were infinite like the sky and there was no way to measure their limit. The boy accepted and moved on.

What interested him now were the large buildings that rose from the ground and towered over him. They were impressively large and different from each other. Some looked the same, but there were always differences. Some were smaller and some were larger. Some had little clear openings and others looked like they were shedding parts of themselves. The boy wondered if the small buildings were younglings and the larger were adults. It certainly seemed that way. The ones that looked the most decrepit were the elderly ones.

The boy accepted and moved on.

He looked behind himself and saw the black floating probot again. He turned around to face forward. His blank eyes became confused. He _remembered_ the little black probot. It was the thing that had the little boy trapped inside. He remembered the three others who he had first met. The ones that took his name. He wondered if he would see them again like he saw the black probot. He hoped he would. He remembered them. Perhaps they would give him his name back. The boy walked forward. The thought was soon forgotten and he moved on.

The boy noticed that the walking beings on this larger place looked much different from the first three he met. Their skin was pale and sort of blue. The boy stared at it for a second, but then moved on. It was interesting. Everything was interesting in its own way, but none of it seemed to matter. Maybe it had meant something to him _before_, but he couldn't recall anything of _before_. The shape their faces made or the decay that he couldn't see stirred no feelings inside because he had nothing to base them off of.

He didn't know what he was or even _if_ he was. The most important question he didn't know was _why_ he was. Why was he here? Was this where he belonged? Why didn't he have a name? Why was that little boy stuck in that floating black object? There were too many whys to count. Part of him could not accept this, but he still moved on. He didn't have a purpose, but he continued to walk. He felt that it was right.

Soon he did not bother to look around himself. It became as insignificant as he was. The pale people sometimes bumped into him, but he had already moved on by the time they turned around to see what they hit. Some gave him dirty looks, but the boy didn't bother to see them. He walked like one determined, but he had no purpose. His legs started to ache as the path he was on inclined upward.

A rather large pale being stepped out in front of the boy and he stopped suddenly before colliding into the man. He was at a loss of what to do. He saw one of the man's meaty hands descend upon his shoulder and wondered if he would be crushed beneath it. The boy was surprised to see that he wasn't.

"You!" The large man rumbled.

The boy stared blankly and dazedly ahead. He waited for the man to move out of the way. He didn't.

"Do you know what I told myself when I woke up this morning?" The man asked in his deep voice.

The boy did not know. Was he supposed to? Why was this man here? Did the man know his name? The boy wondered if he was supposed to respond and if he could. The boy remained silent and his eyes blank.

"Are you deaf boy? I asked you a question!" The man snapped and gripped the boy's shoulder harder.

The blank expression left the boy's face and he focused on where the pain was coming from. The hand of the large man was causing him pain. He stared intensely at the hand and then trailed it with his eyes to the source. He looked into the man's eyes. _Why_ was the man causing him to hurt? The boy became afraid. This man was hurting him and he didn't know why. It was more frightening than realizing how large the world was. The boy wanted to be far away from the man, but couldn't move because the man was still holding him.

The boy's eyes became wide with terror and he started shaking again. He wanted to go back to his familiar place. It seemed so far away now. There may have been pain there as well, but at least it was familiar and the large pale man wasn't there.

"Just humor me kid." The man said gruffly.

The context of the sentence was completely lost on the boy and he became extremely confused. The probot circled around the two and recorded everything that was going on. The man's eyes darted towards it and then focused back on the cowering boy. His eyes were filled with suspicion, but also keen intelligence.

"You're a hill person spy!" He hissed and reached for the vibro-shiv hanging on his belt.

* * *

_A/N: Yeah! Less than a month! Hopefully with summer coming I'll be able to get somewhere in this fic. I dare not say it without crossing my fingers but god forbid I might finish it… Oh great I doomed myself. Yes, **Tiamath** I did make up that part with Nivva. I like to bring in characters that I'll most likely only mention once. I think they add to the realism. If you consider how many people you know and how often you mention them then Guerra and Paxxi surely knew a lot more people than their family and Kaadi._

_Quick question to you all: Did any of you cry during Episode III?_


	9. 9

9

* * *

"_So you see our plan? If we can liberate the goods, we can show the people that the Syndicat had been depriving them of food and medical supplies. They will rise in revolt! All we need is your help."_

* * *

Qui-Gon sat in the meditative position on the floor in Kaadi's house. He had tried to meditate, but his mind would not clear. His heart would not let him focus on anything but his padawan. Was Obi-Wan still alive? Where did they send him? The boy had acted like a Jedi. He did the only thing that he had been trained to do. He acted with selflessness, but did he know what would happen? When Obi-Wan sacrificed himself for Guerra did he know that he would be renewed? Would he have done anything different if he had? That question he at least could answer. No, of course not. The Jedi Master had not known Obi-Wan long, but he could already see that Obi-Wan would give up anything to help others; especially to help a friend.

New questions formed in his mind. Now that Obi-Wan was gone how many people would die because he wouldn't be there to save them? Qui-Gon knew in his heart that Obi-Wan would be a great Jedi. He had known from the time he had first watched him fight. It wasn't exactly a vision. It was a feeling. The boy was so young then. The boy didn't stick out in his memory then. He was just another initiate who waited for the honor of becoming a padawan. Not his. Every time Qui-Gon Jinn looked at a young boy he was reminded of the loss of his padawan. He did not choose a padawan. He watched them fight at the request of Yoda.

When Qui-Gon watched Obi-Wan fight he knew in his mind that the boy would be picked to become an apprentice. Another knight was bound to see the potential. Another knight could train him, but not him. It was a shock to Qui-Gon to hear from Yoda's own words that Obi-Wan was to become a farmer because no one had picked him. He had felt pity for the boy and an almost outrage at fate. He also felt a sense of guilt. He had not chosen the boy either and now instead of saving the innocent from the evils of the galaxy the boy would be growing crops. The galaxy needed farmers as much as it needed knights. There are some who say it is more noble than being a knight. Evil came and went, but hunger never went away. No one resented a farmer for raising crops. If there wasn't enough food to feed everyone no one blamed the farmer. The farmer did the best they could. They understood this. It was not so with being a Jedi Knight. Qui-Gon learned from an early age that he could not save everyone. There were always casualties no matter how hard he tried. Many times he was blamed and almost hated because he could not save a loved one. A farmer was never blamed.

Qui-Gon thought back with a bitter smile about how Yoda had to practically force them together (as if the will of the Force wasn't enough). He still hadn't figured out if Yoda had conspired with the Supreme Chancellor to get the two going to the same planet. When Yoda wanted something to happen he usually got his way. He always ordered Qui-Gon to watch the young apprentices fight. After each time he had asked Qui-Gon if he had chosen another padawan. Each time Qui-Gon said the same thing. "_No. Maybe next year..._"Obi-Wan was the first boy that Yoda had ever mentioned by name. He had a feeling that deep within the troll's heart there was a deep compassion for the boy.

How painful would it be for him to learn that the Obi-Wan he helped guide for many years was gone? Did Yoda already sense it? Obi-Wan had not in the literal sense died, but ceased to exist. How hard would it be to tell Yoda? The boy certainly had friends too. How would they react when they heard the news?

Qui-Gon fingered his comlink lightly. He didn't know if he should tell the Jedi Council now of his failure or wait until the situation on Phindar was resolved. The Council would undoubtedly need to know that Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon had been side tracked from their original mission and they had to know the truth about Obi-Wan… But it could wait. Let Obi-Wan's friends be happily ignorant for at least one more day. Qui-Gon wasn't sure he could stand the shame of reporting that he had already lost his padawan. He didn't really have a good record with his padawans. One turned to the dark side while the other sentenced to a life of emptiness.

What of the boy's training? Years spent at the Jedi temple in order to teach him patience and the ways of the Force, all gone? Was that all for nothing now? All of the struggles and triumphs wiped away as if they didn't exist! Every failure he learned from, every achievement he made no matter how small, every bit of wisdom the Jedi masters strove to teach him, gone. What would Obi-Wan become then? He would still have the Force. He was Force sensitive and perhaps that gave him a better chance to survive, but he had no knowledge of how to use it. He would one day discover he had some power by accident and maybe even try to hone that power. Without the Jedi he would never accomplish it fully. He would try to master the power and not become one with it. He needed guidance, Qui-Gon's guidance.

Would he turn to the dark side like Xanatos? The side that offered the easy way out and the easy explanations was easy to take. No one was incorruptible. Qui-Gon immediately dismissed that idea. Obi-Wan lost his memory, not his heart. No memory wipe could take away his goodness.

'_But there was the anger. You felt it when he fought for you. The anger that he hasn't mastered yet. The anger that made you not take him as your padawan. What of that? Anger is the path of the dark side_.' His thoughts spoke.

Qui-Gon shook his head. He refused to believe such a thing.

He knew that he should be formulating a plan, but every idea he had seemed to evaporate into the air. There was nothing he could do for Obi-Wan now. If he tried to find him he would sentence the Phindians to their tyrannical government's control. They would be sentenced to death or a fate worse than death, renewing. Qui-Gon knew that he would have to wait to rescue Obi-Wan. To leave the planet would not only be selfish, but unjedi-like. He could only hope that Obi-Wan was safe and that some kind soul had taken pity on the boy and taken him in. Perhaps if the boy was showed kindness he would thrive and find a portion of the self he had lost. Compassion always brought out the best in people.

Qui-Gon's thoughts were drifting hopelessly in circles. The boy was gone. He had to help the boy. He had to help Guerra and Paxxi first. Where did they send the boy? The boy was gone. How was he going to find where they sent him? Help Guerra and Paxxi... The logic was simple. He couldn't help Obi-Wan unless he helped Guerra and Paxxi. This logic was not helping him though. An hour passed and Qui-Gon was no nearer a solution for both problems. Meditation wasn't helping. Well, that wasn't completely true. He would actually have to clear his mind for mediation to work.

He sensed the eyes of the two brothers on him. They were probably wondering if the Jedi Knight had lost his mind. He was sitting there, unmoving. They probably assumed that he had given in to despair, but Qui-Gon was too much of a Jedi to give in to such an emotion. He could feel their anxiety as much as his own. They had placed great hope in him and Obi-Wan and risked much to get them here. They didn't want to watch their gamble slowly deflate around them. They were showing better poise than the Jedi. That was one of the greatest things about the mystery of the Living Force. Ordinary beings doing ordinary things could sometimes become even more powerful than a Jedi. That is why he often put trust into what some would call 'pathetic life forms'. He knew if the Living Force pulsed strongly within them without the dark stain of pride getting in the way much could be accomplished.

Guerra and Paxxi were such. They were so ordinary on the surface, but deep down they were quite different. Alone they weren't much, but together they were as strong and unmovable as a mountain. They looked to him for help just as young Obi-Wan had looked to him for guidance. He couldn't help the boy, but he vowed to help the brothers.

"I am not giving up," Qui-Gon said with his eyes still closed. "I'm forming a plan."

Qui-Gon couldn't see their faces, but he sensed their relief.

"Of course Jedi-Gon," Guerra said with a sort of breathy quality. "We knew you wouldn't abandon us."

"Yes so!" Paxxi chorused. "We know Jedi don't give up."

"We were worried a tiny bit." Guerra admitted.

"Yes so."

The brothers seemed reluctant to mention Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon didn't know whether he was grateful or disturbed by this. Did they think he was weak? Did they think he would blanch when he heard the boy's name? Qui-Gon couldn't help but wonder if it was true.

"It is such bad news about our friend Obawan." Paxxi said.

Qui-Gon monitored his feelings. Despair did not sink in. He still felt guilt, but he understood that now was not the time. There was much to do and the quicker it was done the faster he would find the boy. The better chance he would still be alive.

'_Unless it is already too late_.' The sinister voice inside of him said again.

Qui-Gon ignored the voice and held back his worry. He had to trust that there was a solution to both problems. He had to let the Force guide him. There was only one thing he could do, listen. Qui-Gon closed his eyes. There must be a reverse to the memory wipe. There must be a way to break the Syndicat's control on the planet. The two problems were closely linked. The Syndicat gained their power through fear; fear of death and the memory wipe.

The two brothers exchanged a glance with each other. The Jedi seemed to have reverted back into himself again. They didn't know if this was a good or bad thing. They decided to bring him back to real life. There was no time to idle around. They knew this. It was a lesson they had to learn many times over. If they had grieved every time a friend or family member was lost they would be dead by now. They were not heartless; far from it. They cared too much for their friends, for themselves. Moving on was a way to help them and they _needed _to help them. Guerra _needed _to bring the Syndicat down to make sure Obi-Wan's sacrifice was not in vain just as much as Paxxi _needed_ to make sure that no one else ended up like his friend Nivva. They needed to know that all the pain and misery that they and others went through was worth it in the end.

The Jedi could help them. They knew this. They somehow felt it with their hearts. When Obi-Wan showed up on the mining platform on Bandomeer it was only a few days before he had freed himself and Guerra. The Jedi could do amazing things.

"And so what are you thinking Jedi-Gon?" Guerra asked.

It was at that moment when everything fell into place. The idea sprung into Qui-Gon's head like someone had just now whispered it into his open ear. He basked in the warm light of the Force and turned back to Guerra and Paxxi.

"We must act quickly. Tomorrow, no later. Timing is going to be very crucial for this. They will be distracted, almost frantic because Prince Beju is arriving. What better time to reveal to the people that there is no food and supply shortage?" Qui-Gon said.

Paxxi nodded.

"They will be angry. They will see that there is no reason to be hungry." Paxxi commented.

"This shortage has lasted for months and the only reason no one has openly revolted is because they're afraid that it won't change anything. They're afraid that they'll be just as hungry then as they are now." Qui-Gon continued.

"Show them a reason. Open the warehouses when the Prince arrives. He will see the confusion, the mob and will shy away from the alliance. Wait for the people to see precious and desperately needed bacta being loaded on to an outsider's ship. This alliance with Beju will be destroyed before it has even begun."

The brothers nodded.

"Can Kaadi rally the people?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Yes so." Guerra answered. "She knows a good idea when she sees it."

"That is so." Paxxi agreed. "She will love this."

Qui-Gon stroked his chin and looked deep in thought.

"That will be our diversion. The people will flood the streets and take out the supplies of the warehouses. The Syndicat will panic at this revolt. It will be total chaos. They'll need to send every available guard just to keep the mob in line. We will take advantage of this and go straight to headquarters with the anti-register device. That's when we will steal the treasury."

There was a short silence as the brothers processed the plan in their head.

"In the daytime?" Paxxi asked skeptically.

"It will be dangerous." Guerra said.

"Yes so, and Duenna will not be able to help us." Paxxi furthered.

Qui-Gon knew they were afraid. Much could go wrong. There was a chance that many Phindians will die with this diversion, but there was no time for disagreeing. Qui-Gon did not dispute the fact that it was going to be dangerous.

"Are you with me?"

Qui-Gon eyed the two with a hard stare. He knew that he didn't have to intimidate them. The brothers would agree because they felt they must.

"Yes so." They chorused together, resolve strengthening their words.

The Jedi smiled. This was the first step towards getting the boy back. He felt it. He wished the Force had shown him the whole picture and not just part, but the Force was wise. It had shown Qui-Gon exactly what he needed not to get distracted. Qui-Gon sighed. Tomorrow would be a long day.

* * *

_A/N: Well, this took longer than expected, but oh well. Wow, I didn't expect anyone to answer my question… I don't know why. You guys rock! _**Spellcaster Hikaru**: _Nivva isn't in the book, but he should be! **Tiamath: **Yes, Obi-Wan does retain some muscle memory. I'm glad you picked up on that._


	10. 10

10

* * *

"I-I'm not a hill person," Obi-Wan said. Then he realized that without memory he wouldn't know if he were a hill person. He pretended to look suddenly confused.

* * *

The boy was terrified and didn't know what the man was pulling out of his belt. He knew that it could cause him pain and so he started shaking violently. The man still had a firm grip on the boy and had slowly brought his vibro-shiv out of the sheath on his belt. It made a sickening noise and the blade was very long. The boy didn't know why he should be afraid of what the man was holding, but he was. The object had not hurt him yet, but as the boy was quickly learning most objects had the capacity to cause pain.

"Spy!" He hissed.

The probot hovered closer and zoomed in on the large pale man. The man, however, was far more interested in the boy.

"What your people won't sink to! Send a little boy to spy on us!"

The boy's heart was racing and he couldn't stop shaking. What was he supposed to do? What was a spy and why did this man call him one? Hill person spy. He knew what a hill was and what a person was. He was a person and he was standing on a hill. Did that make him a Hill person? Did that also make the large pale man a Hill person as well?

"There is no end to your barbaric traits!" He hissed.

The Galacian wielded his vibro-shiv with deadly finesse and the tip of the blade touched the boy's neck. The man's eyes looked at the boy's face with intensity, looking for something.

"I told myself this morning that I would slit the throat of the first hill person I saw." He stated.

The probot whirred and circled the two. The man took another sidelong glance at the droid. The boy wondered if the little boy trapped within it was a Hill Person too. Would he cause that boy pain too? The boy felt his shaking turn into silent tremors and there was an odd sensation in the back of his throat. It didn't quite hurt, but it was different. His eyes started to sting and he didn't know why.

The large pale man watched the boy's reactions and a strange feeling came over him. He felt tired, extremely tired, but it wasn't the fatigue of a long day's worth of hard work. He felt weary within his soul. The Hill people sent this boy who was scared out of his mind. What was the probot doing here? The Hill people didn't usually use them. They were too barbaric for something like that. As he watched the quivering boy he became even more confused. He felt a great sadness come over him and he didn't know where it came from.

The boy began to cry and the pale man couldn't take it anymore. He put away his vibro-shiv. He wasn't a spy, he was just some scared kid. He released his grip on the boy and looked away in shame. What had he come to? Had he gone so low as to accost young boys now? What would his wife and children think of him? The boy looked wretched and confused. He would touch his wet face and look at his now wet fingers.

"I'm sorry kid. I just got carried away."

The boy didn't say anything, but continued to touch his face and his eyes. The probot swiveled around both their heads in a smooth circle. The man's lip curled. The boy may not be a spy, but that droid certainly had no business around him. He took out his vibro-shiv again and threw it at the droid. The probot didn't anticipate this and was hit. It went down with a noisy crash. It sparked and made a sickening whirring sound, but then shorted out. The boy looked over at the probot and gasped in horror. The man calmly grabbed his blade from the remains of the droid and put it back in his sheath. The boy scrambled over to the tortured piece of black metal. He mewled something unintelligible and looked at the destroyed lens.

The man looked one last time at the boy and began to walk off. He still heard the boy crying softly. The large man flinched as he felt the same sadness overcome him. His pace slowed and he looked behind him again. The boy was obviously distraught over the destruction of the probot. Why? The boy acted as if his best friend had been killed. The man watched and realized how _alone_ the boy really was. Where were his parents? What was he doing here? The Hill people may be barbaric but no mother or father in their right mind would send their child off alone into Galu. The more the man looked at the boy the more he knew that the boy couldn't be a Hill person. He definitely wasn't a Galacian. The man's heart wrenched in pity.

Before he knew what he was doing the man had walked back to the boy. The boy looked up from the destroyed probot at the man. The man took a step back in horror. He looked at the boy's face and he saw… nothing. It was tear stained and he was still quivering in fear, but the boy's eyes held nothing.

"Hey kid," The man said. "Where are your parents?"

The boy said nothing. His blue eyes fastened on to the Galacian's and the Galacian began to feel uncomfortable.

"Are you lost?" The man asked and again the boy didn't answer.

The man might as well been talking to a rock. He stroked his beard thoughtfully. He knew he couldn't leave the boy here, but what was he supposed to do? The boy obviously wasn't talking and it was probably his fault. He must have scared the boy. He muttered a curse. He heaved a great sigh and finally came to a decision. He held out his hand to the boy.

"Come on kid. I'll take you to my home until we can find your parents."

The boy looked at the hand in bewilderment. What was he supposed to do? The boy was beyond confused now. The man that had hurt him stopped and he didn't know why. He looked once more at the probot and could not see the boy trapped inside. Why? Why? He looked at the man's hand again. It was the same hand that was hurting him before. Was it going to hurt him again? He was so puzzled, but then a strange smile covered his face. He took the man's hand because he _felt_ it was right. It was a good thing to do. The right thing to do. He didn't need another reason. The man hoisted the boy to his feet.

The boy's smaller hand fit well in the larger man's hand. The man looked down at the young boy and the sadness was gone. He couldn't explain it. He knew his wife was going to be surprised in a not so pleasant way, but she had a kind heart. She would help the boy as much as she could. His two sons and daughter would view him as a friend, he hoped. The Galacian looked down at the lost boy and smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry. We'll find your parents eventually," The large Galacian said. "I 'm sure they're beside themselves with worry about now."

The two continued to walk and the boy's lazy smile grew broader. He looked up at the man's face and then looked at the rest of the world. The sky was infinite. Everything was so impossibly large and numerous. The only difference now was that it didn't seem so frightening anymore. The hand that had hurt him was not anymore and the boy became aware of a new concept; change.

"Do you have a name kid?" The Galacian asked.

He should have a name. He knew he should have one, but why was this being asking him like a name was conditional? Did some of these people not have a name as well? His name was taken from him. If there was one thing the lost boy wanted it was his name back. Why couldn't he remember his own name? Who was he? What was he?

"Do you even speak?" The man asked with some sort of humor in his voice.

The boy didn't say anything. The man shook his head, but a thin smile appeared on his face.

"At least I don't have to worry about you screaming and yelling about my house like my other children. Three kryat dragons are enough for me, thank you very much."

The boy was confused, but accepted the fact. He didn't exactly move on, but he didn't dwell on what eluded him either. He found that trying to understand took a lot of effort and he rarely got an answer.

"Well, they're not _that_ bad." The Galacian continued. "My oldest son Tiku is voting age now. He thinks it is his only cause in life to find out everything about the upcoming election. You should see him. He puts on this strange "impartial" face whenever someone brings up one of the candidates. He will then go on for stars know how long about the…"

The Galacian stopped mid-sentence as he observed the utter blank look on the boy's face. He chuckled and shook his head.

"Yah, I agree with you there. It gets really boring after awhile. I keep on telling him to just choose a candidate already, but he _has_ to be all responsible."

The Galacian's words were full of love and the boy liked them. They were softer and less harsh than when the man had first spoken to him. They were kinder than the three beings he knew. Their voices were hard and forceful. He came to the conclusion that if he had to choose between the first three beings he knew with the long arms and this tall pale man he would choose the tall pale man.

"My daughter Keta couldn't care less about politics and whenever Tiku mentions them she gets the same look on her face that you have. She's more of a dreamer I think. She probably dreams of getting away and doing something more important. I don't know _where_ she got that from. I certainly didn't teach her to want a different life. It was probably that damn tutor. Him and his big ideals!"

The boy still heard the love in the man's voice, but there was also some sadness. The boy couldn't place it. It was like the pale man was afraid, but what was he afraid of?

"The one you really have to look out for is Shiko. He's a couple years younger than you are, but he has the energy output of the sun. He'll run you to the ground chasing you or being chased by you. Of course his endless energy completely disappears when there are chores to be done…"

The boy smiled again. There was the kind voice again. There was no sadness when he spoke of Shiko. The boy wanted to hear more.

"I think he'll like you." The Galacian commented. "Besides, we can always use another hand around. If you can distract him for a little bit it'll be a great blessing."

The pale man laughed and the boy liked that sound to. It was the same type of sound as the other three beings with long arms made, but it was quite different. The man's pace was easy going and almost carefree. He was a large man and most people avoided him. They usually got out of his way before he even got near them.

"You're not from around here are you kid?"

The boy at least knew that. He definitely didn't recognize this place. He didn't know where he was from. He remembered the cage and then the larger room where he had felt safe, but nothing further.

"No." The boy answered quietly.

"So you do speak," The Galacian said, but the boy said nothing in reply. "Where are you from then?"

The boy was silent for a long time and his face remained blank. It masked the inner struggle he was going through. He didn't know. He only answered the other question because he knew the answer. Did he have to answer the questions that he didn't know? Did he have to respond?

"It's all right kid. I won't hurt you. You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

The boy again felt comforted by the man's voice. The pale man said he wouldn't hurt him, and the boy now believed this. He didn't know why. He didn't know a lot of whys, but he did believe this man. He decided to answer the question if only to hear the comforting voice again.

"I don't remember." He said.

The man stopped walking and looked straight into the boy's strangely blank eyes.

"You don't remember?" The man asked in shock. "What about your parents? Do you remember them?"

"No."

"And your name?"

"I don't know… if I have one." The boy's voice was starting to break.

"Do you remember anything?" The man asked aghast.

The boy squinted and his brow furrowed.

"Nothing _before_." He stated.

"Before what?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing before nothing?"

"There was nothing and then I was there." The boy tried to explain, but he didn't understand himself.

"There has to be _something_." The pale man protested.

"Nothing. I am only when everything hurt and I was trapped…"

"When was that?"

The boy didn't really understand the concept of 'when' or time for that matter.

"I don't know 'when'." The boy said.

"How long has it been since you couldn't remember?"

"Since I was."

"Was what?"

"Was." The boy simply said as it explained everything.

The boy didn't know anything beyond when he first awoke in the cage to the three faces. He _was_ then and before that he was not. He didn't exist _before_. He knew nothing about _before. _The pale man sighed deeply and took the boy's hand again. He would take the boy to his home as he originally planned. Hopefully the boy's parents would be looking for him or the boy would remember something. The man sighed again.

"Don't worry about it kid. We'll sort all of this out."

The two walked in silence the rest of the way and the large Galacian was deep in thought. Finally he came upon several large fields growing with golden stalks that swayed in the wind. The man held out his free hand and brushed the stalks as he walked by. A soft smile grew on his face.

"Ah, home." He said softly.

The boy looked at the field of gold and the various beings who were working in and around the field. The man put his large hand on the boy's shoulder, but it did not hurt as it did before. Now it was comforting to the boy

"Home." The boy repeated and even though he didn't know the meaning he smiled because he knew that 'home' was a good thing.

* * *

A/N: Wow, I can update within a week. I am so proud of myself. **Tiamath: **_As always you are very perceptive and have guessed more of my meanings. Though Obi-Wan isn't completely a walking Force receptor he is still very subconscious of it. It is directing his actions and helping him along. **SirNotAppearingInThisFilm: **__That certainly was an interesting review… Well, at least you're keeping me entertained. **Scholar: **The rock is going to play a very important role later on… very, very, very, very, very, very later on._

: 


	11. 11

11

* * *

"_Let me get this straight," Qui-Gon interrupted in disbelief. "You want two Jedi to help two common thieves steal a treasure from a bunch of gangsters?"_

* * *

When Kaadi was told the plan she immediately sprang into action. She contacted all of her rebel operatives. She then had organized them into different groups for different operations. A group would raid the warehouses just for food while another would get the weapons and hand them out. Some would be 'runners' from place to place with supplies. Qui-Gon listened with interest and marveled at Kaadi's brilliance. She had formed a solid plan from his sketchy one in a matter of hours and brought it to readiness in minutes.

It was well past dark when Kaadi admitted she had done all that she could. She fell back into a chair with a loud sigh. She rubbed her yellow green speckled eyes and shook her head. Paxxi and Guerra had already fallen asleep, but Qui-Gon was still awake. Kaadi looked at Qui-Gon and emitted a short laugh.

"This might actually _work_." She said.

Qui-Gon smiled at her and sat down on a chair opposite of her.

"It will." Qui-Gon said with certainty. "Because the Phindians have a tactical genius leading them."

Kaadi blushed at the compliment.

"I only worked out the details. You came up with it…" She protested.

"It's been my experience that the details are what matter most."

Kaadi smiled again.

"Then I guess I am a tactical genius." She admitted and then laughed.

"Every rebel operation needs one."

"They probably need Jedi help too." Kaadi laughed.

"Or two of the most unlikely sort to save them." Qui-Gon said nodding to the sleeping Guerra and Paxxi.

Both the Jedi and Phindian laughed quietly.

"What will you do once the Syndicat is thrown down?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Rebuild I guess. We'll need a new government, one that can't be so easily corrupted. Get rid of the blockade, establish trade with other planets…"

Qui-Gon nodded and was silent for a long time. Kaadi heaved a long sigh and then looked down at her hands.

"Find my father." She said mournfully.

Kaadi slumped in her chair and looked at the dirt-stained windows.

"He was sent to Alba. At least I know that much. Some people don't even know where their loved ones are sent."

Qui-Gon closed his eyes and saw Obi-Wan's face again. The last time he had seen the boy was when they were about to split up. The boy had paused and he looked a little afraid. He had nudged Obi-Wan to get him going. By the Force! He had directed the boy towards his doom.

_Nice going Master Qui-Gon. The boy sensed danger and you could not? What kind of a Jedi are you?_

The sinister voice returned.

"I'm sorry Qui-Gon. I know you lost much too," Kaadi said. "He saved Guerra's life."

Qui-Gon's eyes lowered to his hands and he sighed.

"I know." Qui-Gon responded.

"I'm sure he is still alive." Kaadi reassured.

"Yes, I know he is." Qui-Gon said. "He has to be."

"Always have hope Qui-Gon. It is what has kept me alive these past months since my father was renewed."

Kaadi reached out and took Qui-Gon's hand.

"We will find them, no matter what." Kaadi said vehemently.

Qui-Gon looked at the strong rebel leader and he knew that even after Phindar was saved she would have many trials ahead of her. Even if she did go to Alba and her father managed to stay alive amidst the terrible war waging there, her father would still be one of the renewed. He probably wouldn't even recognize his daughter. Would Obi-Wan recognize him? Guerra and Paxxi said that strong minded beings were able to remember certain things despite the memory wipe. Could that be the case with Obi-Wan? With the Force _anything_ is possible. Qui-Gon squeezed Kaadi's hand.

"We will." He agreed.

Qui-Gon, Kaadi, Paxxi, and Guerra set out early the next morning. As they walked towards their destination Kaadi turned a blind corner and left the three alone. She was off to lead her operation. The three had shared one of their Phindian embraces before they left her house. They were optimistic about the outcome, but there was a chance that one or all of them could die. The embraced and squeezed three times in the Phindian way. Much to Qui-Gon's feigned chagrin they brought the Jedi Master into their embrace.

"_For Obi-Wan_." Guerra had whispered.

"_For Obi-Wan_." The three repeated.

The two words still rang in Qui-Gon's mind as he and the two brothers snuck into the Syndicat space hanger. They quickly hid behind a pile of old rusted equipment and watched as Baftu and his entourage of assassin droids appeared followed hastily by a multitude of Syndicat guards. The Jedi and brothers were wearing their stolen Syndicat guard armor coats. Not only did the coats shield them, but if need arose they could blend in with the other guards.

Guerra wrung his hands in anxiety. There was no doubt that he was nervous. He was sweating and his heart was beating rapidly. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his armor coat and felt something smooth and round. Curious, he took the object out of his pocket and examined it. It was only an ordinary rock. Guerra was puzzled. What was a rock doing in his pockets? He didn't remember putting it there. Then the truth hit him like a blaster bolt. Obi-wan! The rock belonged to Obi-wan! He had seen his friend look at it occasionally and rub it in his hands. Guerra thought that Obi-Wan considered the rock good luck. Guerra grimaced. The rock had brought Obi-Wan luck until he gave his suit to Guerra.

"Jedi-Gon!" Guerra exclaimed.

"Shhh!" Qui-Gon admonished. "Beju's ship is landing."

Guerra shoved the rock back into his pocket, hoping that the rock's luck would work for him. He watched in silence as the sleek white Galacian ship landed. Baftu watched with a small smirk as the ramp lowered and two ornately dressed guards walked out. They were stone faced and very serious as they walked. They walked to the end of the ramp and then stopped and held their weapons at ready. Four more guards walked out stiffly and then Beju walked a few steps behind them. Four more guards trailed behind him. On the boy's face was a contemptuous look. He looked at his surroundings and narrowed his eyes and muttered something underneath his breath.

The prince was wearing a light blue cloak and headdress that set off his ice-blue eyes. His pale almost white hair was shoulder length and a stray piece got into his face. He brushed it back angrily and then smiled mockingly at the approaching Baftu. Qui-Gon was struck by how similar the boy was to Obi-wan. He looked the same height, the same build… If it weren't for the prince's hair he could have sworn from a distance that the boy was Obi-wan. But the idea was preposterous. This arrogant prince and Obi-wan were nothing alike. What put such a thought into his head?

As the Jedi looked at the conceited prince and wished with all of his heart that the boy _was _Obi-wan. Maybe within all the possibilities of the Force that prince could have been Obi-wan, but not today. Today the prince was Beju, and Obi-wan was somewhere out in the vast galaxy.

"Look at him," Paxxi began. "You can tell the brute is pure evil."

"Evil?" Qui-Gon whispered. "Probably not. He seems more desperate than evil."

The boy strode confidently in front of Baftu. There was anger and contempt in his every feature. He looked totally in control of the situation, but Qui-Gon got the feeling that the boy was not and the prince knew it. He was masking his lack of confidence with disdain. Baftu would surely only see a spoiled brat who was easy to manipulate while Beju would see a second rate crime organization. Both sides would underestimate each other and try to take advantage.

"Desperate?" Guerra choked. "I'm sure he hasn't seen his family suffer as they've been without food for a week."

"That is so brother." Paxxi said. "Or has he waited for news of someone who was killed or renewed? No. Not so!"

Qui-Gon sighed inwardly. The brothers might be compassionate for others, but there was a limit.

"Prince Beju. I am pleased at your safe journey." Baftu greeted.

"Of course you are." The Prince snapped.

Baftu smiled, but it was a strained smile.

"I trust that it was an uneventful journey?" Baftu asked pleasantly.

The prince's eyes narrowed.

"Your blockade nearly mistook my ship and blasted it from the sky. I warn you. If this is a set-up…" The prince trailed off.

Baftu held his hands out placatingly.

"Of course not my Prince. Surely you must understand our zealous sense of caution."

"Of course, I understand. You cannot control your own people."

Baftu kept his strained smile on his face.

"Shall we go to Headquarters then? I've prepared refreshments for us."

Prince Beju waved at the suggestion flippantly as if too important to answer. Baftu and the Prince walked side by side with their guards following close behind. Baftu and the Prince stepped into Baftu's gold speeder. Beju looked at the speeder and issued a long suffering sigh. Two of Beju's royal guard entered the speeder with Beju while the rest took a different speeder.

"Surely it doesn't take this long to start up a speeder does it Baftu?" The prince asked irritably.

Baftu's smile still held.

"It is only precaution my Prince."

Beju rolled his eyes immaturely.

"With all of these 'precautions' one would think you had a revolt on your hands." Beju commented darkly.

"Revolt? Surely that is a joke your highness. The people are too subdued to revolt." Baftu laughed.

Beju's eyes looked bored and he yawned.

"Such a dreary planet. How do you stand it?" Beju asked nonchalantly.

"It is mine." Baftu responded simply.

The speeder finally took off and Qui-Gon watched it for awhile and then turned back to the brothers. Their faces were filled with determination.

"Signal Kaadi. It's time." Qui-Gon stated and the brothers nodded.

Paxxi took out a comlink and spoke a few words into it. He shut it off and looked at Qui-Gon.

"It is done Jedi-Gon." Paxxi said.

"What now Jedi-Gon?" Guerra asked.

"We wait." Qui-Gon said.

Qui-Gon, Paxxi, and Guerra walked out into the street leisurely. The street was pretty much deserted save for the occasional assassin droid that rolled past. The three made their way towards the market and as they got closer they saw a Phindian running. They stopped and watched as the Phindian passed them. He was wearing a pack full of some undeterminable objects. The three exchanged a smile. A minute later another Phindian ran past them. The loud patter of his footsteps echoed off the buildings. He too was carrying a pack.

They reached the market place and a line of despondent Phindians already was formed even though the market wouldn't open for another fifteen minutes. They were sullen and quiet. It was early morning and everyone still seemed to be asleep. Another runner passed them. Paxxi snickered. Trying to not look any more suspicious than they already were the three stood off and pretended to be monitoring the situation like the other guards. Five more Phindians ran by. The crowd of Phindians looked at them. They had ignored the first runner, but as more came they became interested. What was going on? Naturally they began to talk and murmur about it.

Qui-Gon noticed several of Kaadi's rebels were inside the crowd as well. Those who saw Qui-Gon and the brothers winked and then began to open their mouths.

"I heard that they went to the warehouses…"

"…..Found _medical supplies_."

"…..Food everywhere!"

"What do you mean there is no shortage?"

"Saw it with my own eyes…"

"Food enough for _everyone_!"

The crowd of Phindians looked about uneasy and they became restless. They looked at each other and then they all started talking at once.

"Where?"

"What's going on?"

"Did you say that they had bread and meat?"  
"Yes! He said meat. I haven't seen a good piece of meat since…"

"My sister really needs medicine. She's sick. Are you saying…?"

The noise was becoming deafening and the Syndicat guards who were watching it started to panic. This had never happened before. The crowd was getting rowdy. A loud cry broke out demanding to know where these supposed food and medical supplies were.

"Follow me!" Someone shouted.

One of the rebels began to run off towards the warehouses and everyone seemed to follow. The Syndicat guards were definitely panicking. They knew that they had to keep this mob of Phindians away from the warehouses or it would be their necks.

"Stop! STOP!" One yelled.

No one listened. The guards banded together to stop the Phindians from leaving, but this angered the crowd. They began to push against the line of guards preventing their exit. The brothers and Qui-Gon watched with amusement. Several guards were trying to call for help on their comlinks.

"This is Guard M89B3 from the Market district. Requesting heavy backup."

"_Negative, guard M89B3, all other forces engaged at warehouses. Heavy rebel resistance._"

"I have a riot on my hands!" Exclaimed Guard M89B3.

"_Deal with the civilians as best as you can._"

The comlink clicked off. The guard shook his head and made a disgusted face. The warehouses were about to get another five or six hundred hungry and angry Phindians to fight if they couldn't keep the crowd in line. Their line was starting to break. Guard M89B3 looked at three Phindian guards who were standing around and doing nothing. He screamed at them to help, but they shook their heads.

"Disobedience is met with renewal!" The guard shouted not only to the three guards, but to the crowd.

This incensed the crowd even more. Qui-Gon and the brothers stared hard at the Guard, but then turned around and walked away. They had seen enough. The guards began to use violence to keep the Phindians in line. Shots rang out and a painful cry issued from one unlucky Phindian. There was a deep silence, but then the Phindians attacked with fury. The riot broke past the Guards and trampled them under their feet as they made their way towards the warehouses.

Qui-Gon felt the dark emotions going through the crowd. Anger. Fear. Hatred. Was this what he had done? Was the dark side of the Force at work? Had his preoccupation with Obi-Wan's plight blinded him to the truth? No. He knew that sometimes death was the only way. He had to get to the treasury. Enough chaos had been started. Now was the time to use the Anti-Register device. They made their way towards Syndicat Headquarters.

Just as Qui-Gon had predicted headquarters was a madhouse. Guards ran around in and out barking orders and grabbing weapons. The pandemonium was almost comical to watch. The dark visors to their uniforms were lowered as they approached. The chaos was so great that no one gave them the slightest look of suspicion. Guards were running in and out and the stationary guard had long lost track of them all. The three entered without a second glance. Everyone was too worried about rebels to suspect anyone in a uniform.

The three stole down the corridor at a run. When they reached the security door Paxxi got the device out and hastily began to set it up. He jacked it into the control panel and the others watched with frantic expectation. The device issued a few beeps and Paxxi pressed his thumb against the transfer register. Another high pitch beep issued and the light turned green. The door swung open. The two brothers smiled.

"You are a genius my brother!" Guerra whispered.

"It is so! It worked!" Paxxi affirmed.

Qui-Gon sighed inwardly with relief. The surprise in both the brother's voices slightly disturbed him. What would they have done if the device hadn't worked?

The three stepped into the treasury. A dazzling array of gems, spice, raw materials, and any other item used as currency throughout the galaxy. This single room seemed to house the planet's entire wealth. The brothers stood in awe of it until Qui-Gon nudged them along.

"We'll need to find transport for all of this." Qui-Gon murmured. "We can't just walk out the door with it."

Paxxi and Guerra nodded and raced towards a holding pen here they had previously hidden a few floaters. The Jedi and the two brothers began to load the floaters up with all the treasures they could fit on them. They knew they weren't going to be able to transport all of the materials yet, but if they moved them and hid them then they would be able to find them again. If Baftu somehow escaped and tried to make off with the treasury he wouldn't be able to find it. When the control of Phindar had gone back to the people they could go for the treasury again. It was safest to hide it now. After loading up the floaters they struggled to hide them in a supply closet.

"Jedi-Gon? What if someone else finds this before we go back for it?" Paxxi asked.

Qui-Gon smirked.

"Then I guess you're out of luck." He commented wryly.

"Don't think so brother!" Guerra stated. "We never run out of luck!"

"Not so!" Paxxi cried.

Qui-Gon was finally able to fit everything in the closet and he shut the door.

"Now we have to get to the warehouses." Qui-Gon said.

The brothers nodded and they exited the treasury. They closed the security door and Paxxi reset the transfer register. They quickly made their way back towards the entrance of the building. They rounded a corner, but Qui-Gon motioned them to stop. The brothers looked about fearfully.

The prince and Baftu were walking together towards where they had just come from. A squad of assassin droids followed them.

"Well, that was pleasant." Beju said sardonically.

Baftu gritted his teeth, but kept his congenial outlook. Loud cries broke through the otherwise silent atmosphere. Beju whirled around.

"What is that?" He asked suspiciously.

"It is nothing." Baftu reassured.

The shouts came again, louder. Blaster fire rang out. The prince narrowed his eyes.

"Enough of this. Something is going on here and I want my bacta. _Now_."

* * *

_A/N: Sorry, this took way longer than expected. It was proving very difficult to write for some reason. Thanks for all of the reviews. I couldn't help but mention Obi-Wan's rock in this chapter. That rock rocks! Eh, bad joke._


	12. 12

12

* * *

"_I, too, was chosen at an early age," he told the boy. "I left my family and went to the Jedi Temple. It was a great honor. But I missed my family very much, even though I couldn't really remember them."

* * *

_

The boy and the pale man walked along the path between the golden fronds. They were quite interesting to the boy as they swayed back and forth in the wind. He liked them, but he couldn't think of an adequate word to describe them. The boy was starting to think real hard. The large pale man seemed shocked that there was nothing _before_. He was not only shocked, but the boy also sensed fear. He still wondered what the large pale man had to be afraid of. Could the things that he himself was afraid of be afraid too?

Perhaps the boy had a _before_. His name must have been in the _before_ just as his parents must have been. The pale man seemed certain that he had them. Though if there really was a _before_ then everyone had a _before_ and so should he. Everyone else seemed to know their _before_. Why couldn't he? Was there something wrong with him?

"Father!" Another pale man called out.

This man was the same height as the large Galacian, but his frame was much skinnier. He was well toned but not as bulky as the one that the boy walked next to. The large Galacian's face broke out into a smile.

"Tiku!" He greeted.

"You are back so soon." Tiku commented.

The large Galacian nodded towards the boy beside him. He was looking at Tiku with confusion, but also the slightest bit of recognition. He _remembered_ the large Galacian mentioning Tiku. He _remembered_!

"Who is this?' Tiku asked and smiled at the boy.

The boy evaluated Tiku for a second and decided that he liked him too. He was like the large Galacian.

"I don't know." Tiku's father answered sheepishly.

"You don't know…" Tiku restated skeptically.

"I found him on the street. He…"

Before the Galacian could finish Tiku interrupted him with a bright gleam in his eye.

"Now _this_ is what I've been trying to explain to you! Prammi claims that she will put into effect social reforms that will keep more orphans off of the street obviously to counter the monarchy's inefficiency in dealing with the problem. She believes that a large government can solve this problem. Of course Brun has already tried to discredit her by saying that she spouts off theories that the people want to hear. She won't do as she promised. She will only focus on her re-election. What he fails to mention is that he wants a government that doesn't support the lower class as much as Prammi. He wants larger businesses and less government. "

Tiku's father waited patiently with his eyes slightly glazed over. He stole a look down on the young boy and burst out laughing as he saw the same blank expression he knew was mirrored on his own face. He patted the boy on the shoulder and chuckled again.

"What?" Tiku asked. "This is very important! Especially to young… What did you say his name was again?"

"I didn't say."

Tiku muttered something and waited for something that would not come. Finally he became impatient and threw his hands into the air.

"All right! What is his name?"

"I don't know."

The large Galacian was obviously amused by how he had finally flustered his intelligent son. His smile grew larger.

"You don't know? _You don't know?_" Tiku practically screamed.

The boy took a step back in fear at the change in tone but looked up at the large Galacian. He was not scared. In fact he looked happy.

"Do you?" The large Galacian asked.

Tiku started making strange gestures and his face was turning an interesting red color. The boy was afraid, but also intrigued. Could he change the color of his face as well? Before the boy could find out, two more pale beings stepped out of the house. One was shorter than the other and had pale blonde hair that went to her shoulders. The other had cropped brown hair and had his hand on the shorter one's shoulder.

The boy looked back at the large Galacian. His face was not happy anymore. The boy couldn't describe it, but he knew something wasn't right. He looked back at the tall Galacian with brown hair. As with most things he was confused. There was something strange about the brown haired one and he couldn't explain it to himself or anyone else.

"Tiku!" Keta exclaimed. "What's going on?"

"What isgoing on!" Tiku asked shrilly. "I have _no _idea what is going on!"

The Large Galacian's eyes narrowed as he looked at the tall man with brown hair and his lips became tighter. Deep lines developed on his forehead. The brown haired man looked back and tilted his head a little to the left. The Large Galacian's lip twitched slightly. The exchange was only seen by the boy who did not know what it meant.

"Father?" Keta asked.

The Large Galacian looked down at the girl and his face softened again. He smiled and the boy was glad once again.

"Yes Keta?" He asked.

"Why is Tiku throwing a fit? Did you insult his political efficacy again?"

"Effica-what?" The Galacian butchered the word.

"His lack of efficacy insults me." Tiku said haughtily.

"What is this… Fickasee?

The boy listened intently. He didn't know what 'Fickasee' was either.

"You know what efficacy is! I've explained it to you at least a hundred times!"

"That's for sure!" Tiku's father stated. "I don't know how many Fickasee lectures I've been through. Fickasee this! Fickasee that! Why can't you have more Fickasee?"

"EFFICACY!" Tiku shouted, threw his hands up, and walked into the house muttering.

The Large Galacian burst out laughing and the blonde girl Keta started giggling as well. The brown-haired man did not seem so amused. He turned his attention to the lost boy and his pale blue eyes narrowed in confusion. The boy did not like the brown-haired man to look at him so he hid behind the Large Galacian. Keta's eyes looked at the movement. She looked questioningly at her father.

"I found him in the market today. He lost his parents and he doesn't remember much so I think we should take care of him until we can find his parents." The Large Galacian explained.

"What's his name?" Keta asked.

"He doesn't remember."

"Oh."

"So you just brought him here?" The brown haired man asked in mocking incredulity.

The Large Galacian's face turned into a scowl.

"Yes, Kiban." He muttered.

"And did you _really_ think that was the wisest course of action?"

"Yes." The Large Galacian said unhesitatingly.

"Do you know what the punishment is for kidnapping a child?" The tutor asked again.

"I didn't kidnap him." He snapped back in irritation.

"Do you think they're going to see a difference? Considering _your_ record? When is the last time you did anything altruistic?"

"And when is the last time you found a job you could keep?" The Large Galacian threatened.

Kiban became silent. He took a deep breath and calmed his voice and tried to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

"All I am saying is that someone might misinterpret your actions."

"And they might not. Either way I'm not leaving the boy out on the streets. Tomorrow I will go back into town and see if anyone lost their child."

The Large Galacian reached out for the boy's hand and led him into the house. He took one last look at Keta before the door closed.

"Why do you do that?" Keta asked Kiban.

Kiban looked down at Keta and smiled.

"Adults should be challenged Keta. How many times have I told you that? Your father's opinion isn't always right. His rules aren't always fair. We would all be slaves if no one ever stood up for what they thought was right."

Keta made a weird squinting action as if pondering what her tutor said.

"But isn't what he doing right? I mean, who knows what could have happened to the little boy if my father hadn't brought him here."

Kiban smiled again. It was a smile he reserved only for Keta.

"We'll see."

"Avlo!" Came a loud screech from somewhere inside of the house.

The Large Galacian cringed slightly. He knew he was in trouble now. He thought of trying to sneak past the bearer of the voice, but knew it was futile.

"Avlo! You explain this NOW!"

The Large Galacian whom the boy assumed had the name Avlo looked down at him. The boy was a little shocked to find fear on the man's face. It was a different kind of fear. Once again he was at a loss to explain.

"Yes dear!" Avlo called out.

Avlo wrung his hands and started pacing around.

"All right. All right. Here's what we'll do," He said to the boy. "I'll be charming and you'll try to be adorable."

"A-door-a-bull." The boy lengthened the word to try and understand it.

"That's perfect!" Avlo exclaimed.

The boy still did not know what adorable was, but had no time to ponder it because Avlo was ushering him through the house. The boy looked around at the ceiling of the house and at all the objects inside. He did not know what they were and what function they served, but he figured that they weren't dangerous. The two entered a tiled room with sunlight streaming through it. A long counter ran from one wall to the next and a little counter island was in the middle of the tiled floor. The boy looked at the counter top and traced his fingers in the little tiny crevices that made up an intricate mosaic. He liked the way it felt on his fingers.

"Avlo!" A voice exclaimed.

The boy looked up from the counter and saw the owner of the voice. She was a short handsome woman with stocky legs and golden blonde hair. Her skin glowed slightly in the sunlight and her hair was plaited into a tight braid. Several strands had come out and her face was flushed. The boy didn't know if he liked her or not. Avlo seemed to be afraid of her so there must be something bad about her.

"I sent you into town to get something. What was it again?" She asked with an odd tilt to her voice.

"I believe it was…"

"I gave you a _list_." The woman cut Avlo off.

Avlo searched through his clothing and then produced a small datapad.

"This list?" He asked innocently.

The woman glared and took the datapad from Avlo.

"Yes. _That _list."

"It's a good list." Avlo stated. "I think it was well thought out and…"

"Stop trying to be charming!" The woman interjected.

Avlo frowned, but he wasn't completely out of ideas on how to get out of his wife's wrath.

"Well. The thing was I was _going_ to…"

"How many times have I heard _this_ story?" She asked peevishly.

"This one is different! Now let me explain. I was _going_ to get the items you so humbly requested but as I was walking into Galu I came upon something quite strange."

Avlo raised his eyebrows and smirked. The woman sighed in exasperation.

"What was so strange?" She asked unenthusiastically.

"Well!" Avlo said. "I was jumped by a young boy."

The woman looked skeptically at her husband but then her eyes trailed to the boy beside him. Her lip twitched slightly.

"I'm sure…"

"After beating the crap out of me he blackmailed me into taking him here so we can feed him."

"He did?"

Avlo smiled down at the confused boy. The boy felt an empty place in his stomach and it hurt but did not hurt. He took a deep breath and strange aromas assaulted his nose. He did not know what they were but the pain in his stomach got sharper. The woman watched the boy curiously and then her face softened. Avlo sighed surreptitiously in relief. The woman approached the young boy and stood in front of him.

"What's your name dear?" She asked in a soft voice.

The boy was again at a loss to answer. He didn't know his name. He looked away from the woman and at the ground. Avlo's wife looked back at her husband in question.

"He doesn't remember his name, his parents, where he is from…" Avlo trailed off.

The woman sighed and put a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. She smiled at him and the boy smiled back. Despite the fact that Avlo feared the woman the boy still got a good feeling from her. She would not hurt him. It was another one of those things he couldn't understand. Maybe Avlo saw that about him and so that's why he took him home.

"Don't worry, just give it time. You'll remember eventually."

The boy liked the woman's smile. It made him feel safe and secure. It was like Avlo's laugh. The boy briefly thought back to the three beings that had hurt him. They were not like this. He hoped they never came back. He didn't like them.

"Really?" The boy asked.

"Oh definitely." The woman reassured. "But in the meantime, are you hungry?"

"I'm hungry!" Avlo boomed.

The woman completely ignored her husband. The boy was confused. He didn't know what 'hungry' was. How did he know if he was hungry or not? Were they hungry? Was hungry a good or bad thing? He felt the ache deep in his stomach and wondered what that was as well. The woman's eyes were kind as well and she patted the boy on the head.

"I bet you are. I'll just give you a snack until dinner. Okay sweetie? Just don't tell –"

Before Avlo's wife could finish her sentence another small boy came hurtling through the room. He was yelling something inarticulate. The lost boy's eyes widened in fear and he hid behind Avlo. He peered at the active smaller boy in fear.

"Shiko." Avlo's wife finished with a sigh.

"Moommmmmy!" The boy whined. "Did you say _snack_?"

Before the woman could answer Shiko was chasing the lost boy around Avlo's legs. The two boys weaved in and out of the large Galacian's legs and Avlo sighed. He picked both boy's up by the collar. Shiko's legs dangled in the air and he was still trying to get at the lost boy. The lost boy looked as if a pack of Mali were chasing him.

"Wheeeee!" Shiko screeched.

"Shiko! Behave! We have a guest." Avlo's wife reprimanded.

"Really? Where?"

Avlo sighed and put both boys down. Shiko was completely dwarfed by the lost boy's height, but that did not intimidate him.

"What's your name?" Shiko asked the boy.

"I don't—"

"My name is Shiko." Shiko interrupted him. "I like birds. I'm going to be one soon. My dad says."

"What's a bird?" The boy asked.

"I'll show you!" Shiko exclaimed.

Shiko grabbed the lost boy's hand and ran out of the house with him. The lost boy didn't know what to do so he went along. Shiko stopped suddenly in front of a large object that the lost boy could barely describe. It was thin and bare until it reached about his height and then it branched off and became a different color.

"See?" Shiko asked.

"That's a bird?" The boy asked.

"Yep!" Shiko affirmed pointing to a small bird sitting in the tree.

"Wow." The lost boy said.

Once again the boy was astounded. Shiko was going to turn into a 'bird'. The boy wondered how Shiko (who was small) was going to turn into a huge 'bird'. The 'bird' was taller than he was! Questions raced through the boy's mind. How? Why? Could he do it too? Was he going to become a 'bird' too?

"Do you want to be one too?" Shiko asked.

"I don't—"

"Here I'll show you! Do this!"

Shiko spread his arms out and the lost boy copied him. The boy had to admit that he kind of looked like a 'bird'. Maybe if Shiko had more arms he could really be a 'bird'. Maybe Shiko was going to grow more arms! Shiko began to wave his arms up and down. The lost boy looked in confusion at Shiko and then back at the 'bird'. It certainly wasn't waving its arms. It stood there. It sort of waved back and forth.

"Come on! You've got to do it too!"

Shiko started running circles around the stationary lost boy and making strange noises. The lost boy experimented with waving his arms slowly.

"Faster!" Shiko shrieked.

The lost boy continued to wave his arms slowly like the 'bird'. He smiled. Maybe he really could be a 'bird' someday. Shiko would be a bird too; his dad said. Shiko stopped waving his arms back and forth and the boy continued. Shiko ran up to the boy and dragged him away again.

"Come on! I'll show you around!" Shiko exclaimed.

The two boys started romping around the land. Several workers watched them and shook their heads. Shrieks of laughter could be heard all around.

"Look! See that?" Shiko asked, pointing to a large boulder. "My dad moved that with his _bare hands_."

"Wow!" The boy exclaimed.

The rock was enormous and the boy knew the word for it now.

"My dad is the strongest man on Gala!" Shiko said with pride.

"Really?" The boy asked.

"Yeah! What about your dad?"

The boy frowned and looked away. His eyes became clouded with confusion once again as he tried to remember. He didn't remember anything about his dad. He didn't even know if he had one. If Shiko had one then maybe he had one. Everyone seemed to think he had parents so he most likely did.

"I don't know." The boy said forlornly.

Shiko was confused.

"What do you mean 'you don't know'? Don't you know your own dad?"

"I don't remember."

"Oh." Shiko said.

For a very long and strange second the normally hyperactive boy was silent. The second passed.

"Come on! I'll show you the river."

Shiko grabbed the boy's hand and they were off again. They stopped right at the bank of the river. It was a small river that you could swim across if you want and it flowed slowly along. It was clear and smooth rocks lay along the edge. The lost boy looked down into the slow moving water and saw the boy that was in the black lens of the probot. He stared at the boy in the water and the boy in the water stared back at him. So the boy hadn't been destroyed! When Avlo hit the black floating object he had been released and now he was in the river. The lost boy smiled and the boy in the water smiled back.

"What are you looking at?" Shiko asked. "Do you see a fish?"

The lost boy smiled, but didn't say anything.

"Shiko! Dinner time!" A loud voice called from the house.

Shiko's eyes lit up.

"Come on!" He urged and the boys ran to the house.

* * *

_A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates. School, work, and Cross Country have been hell. At least it wasn't six months like last year! You guys rock like Obi-Wan's rock! Don't ask me about the next update because I have no idea when… Cross Country is ending soon so maybe I'll have time to write._


	13. 13

13

* * *

"_Baftu gaped at Obi-Wan, frozen with shock to see the boy he knew as Prince Beju on the attack."

* * *

_

Baftu gritted his teeth and his lip twitched of its own accord. His hands were clenched and his mind was working like lightening. He was not about to let a pitiful rebel uprising and a snot nose prince ruin his plans.

"Be reasonable, my prince." Baftu tried to placate.

"Reasonable? I've been more than reasonable. I've had to deal with your second rate facilities and your lies which are even more transparent." Beju said haughtily. "I want off this sorry excuse for a planet and I'm not leaving without my Bacta."

Baftu opened his mouth to say something harsh, but closed it. This alliance wasn't unsalvageable.

"Come then, my prince. I must warn you though. Getting your Bacta may prove to be extremely difficult at the moment."

"That doesn't seem to be _my_ problem does it?"

Beju's pale blue eyes flashed in anger and his guards stood more at attention as the sounds of the rebels came closer. His eyes narrowed in suspicion as a female Phindian walked calmly out of Syndicat Headquarters. Baftu's lip twitched again. He did not want to deal with Terra right now.

Terra spotted Baftu and the prince and zoned in on them like a shark. Baftu inwardly groaned and knew the last chance he had with the alliance was about to be ruined. Her orange eyes flashed with anger as she looked at Baftu. Baftu's smile turned cold and deadly.

"My prince Beju, what do you think of our planet?" Terra asked sarcastically.

"Silence!" Baftu ordered.

The Phindian woman whirled on him and she was trembling with rage.

"I told you this would happen! You went too far! The people have revolted. They don't look too tired to carry a weapon do they?" Terra screamed at Baftu.

"Didn't I charge you with the matter of Phindar? If it is anyone's fault it is yours." Baftu said in a deadly voice.

"Mine? Oh no Baftu. I'm not taking the fall for your incompetence." Terra shrieked.

Prince Beju smiled wryly, but kept his face with his usual mask of arrogance. He was gaining a certain amount of control over the situation. He had realized that he might not get his Bacta (one can never be sure when dealing with criminals).

"I leave the planet's affairs to you for less than a day and the whole thing collapses." Baftu roared.

"If you knew your people you would have known this was going to happen. You pushed too far and now they're pushing back. This isn't some pathetic group of rebels. This is a planned battle strategy and it makes us look like fools!"

Beju folded his arms and watched the couple argue. Was this going to last all day? He impetuously tapped his foot and sulked.

"Insolent woman!" Baftu snarled.

"Better insolent than incompetent. Who do you think has kept Phindar together while you were off dreaming of better things?" Terra howled with fury.

The pair argued like a married couple. Beju was bored. His impatience outweighed his caution. He was brought up being the center of attention. Even if this was a precarious situation he couldn't simply stand and watch as he was pushed to the side. He wanted the Bacta and when he wanted something, he got it.

"This is all _very_ entertaining," Beju stated. "But I have no desire to stay on your planet any longer than necessary. I want my Bacta now. I've fulfilled my end of the bargain."

An enraged Baftu whirled on the prince.

"Your end? You vain, worthless, _stupid_ boy. You have done nothing! What you gave me is a backless promise."

Beju's eyes narrowed and his moon colored skin reddened.

"I should have seen this from the beginning. There is no possible way you could win the Throne of Gala. No Galacian in their right mind would be so dense as to vote for such an infantile idiot as yourself."

Beju's face became redder and redder and his hands clenched. He was shaking with rage.

"All I saw when I met you was how easy it would be to manipulate you and to make you believe that you were in control of your planet while it would be me who really had control."

Beju did not speak, but his face was a mask of hatred and rage. The condescension was gone and was replaced with loathing. Behind his mask his mind was racing back and forth. He knew he was in danger and he needed a way out and fast. The Bacta be damned. His life was much more important.

"We all make mistakes. I, for instance, thought you might be capable of helping to rule a planet. I was gravely mistaken." Beju said sardonically.

He tried to keep the façade of bluster. He must not let Baftu know that he was cornered and out of options. It was all for naught. Baftu was not fooled.

"Simple boy." Baftu smiled.

He lifted his left hand and the assassin droids responded immediately. They leveled their weapons at Beju, but did not fire. Beju's face paled and his eyes were filled with terror for a second. He only allowed his terror to show for a second and then it was replaced with indignation. His royal guard's reaction was instantaneous. They drew their weapons and surrounded the prince in a protective circle. All of the royal guard had a clear shot of Baftu's head.

"I am not a boy." Beju said irritably.

"Have you lost all sense Baftu?" Terra shrieked. "Are you _trying_ to start an interplanetary war?"

Baftu snorted.

"Gala is weak." He mocked.

"Gala is _not_ weak!" Beju snarled.

"I have to give them credit for some intelligence. They decided to change a monarchy that has endured for centuries so you couldn't rule."

Beju's face darkened, but he said nothing.

"You idiot!" Terra screamed. "Phindar is falling to pieces and you think we can afford to start another war?"

"Be silent woman."

Terra seethed and then slapped Baftu in the face. Baftu snarled and backhanded Terra across her delicate face. The Phindian woman fell to the ground and looked up at Baftu. Her orange eyes skewered him with a look of pure rage.

"You fool." She spat.

"Harlot," He snapped. "Your beauty no longer amuses me."

This incensed Terra further and her face blushed further with anger and shame.

"Perhaps I should just leave you to your ignorance then." Terra said emotionally.

Baftu laughed mockingly at his partner.

"Don't get upset pretty Terra."

Terra spat at Baftu's feet. Baftu's face contorted in rage and he started to raise his arm towards his assassin droids. Terra stood defiantly. Beju didn't like the situation one bit and he didn't know what to do. His royal guard was still protecting him, but he didn't think that was enough. He had to get out of there before something happened. The problem was that if he tried to leave Baftu would surely have his droids open fire on him.

A loud yell interrupted the tense situation and distracted Baftu and Terra for a second. An old bent woman came running down the hall at a pace that defied her age. Her arms were waving frantically and she shouted something unintelligible. The assassin droids, already on high alert, responded without Baftu's sanction. They opened fire and the old woman went down with a low grunt. Two distant screams rent the air as the old woman hit the ground.

Beju's guard started to fire on the assassin droids, fearing they would turn on Beju. The assassin droids fired back at the new threat and shots rang out all around. Beju threw himself to the floor and tried to crawl away. A shot missed him by mere centimeters. He scrambled wildly and cried out when a stray blaster fire caught him in the shoulder. He cursed and his crawling became desperate. He did not care for appearances anymore. His eyes shone with terror as he tried to escape the melee. He had made some bad decisions in the past, but he never really did something he regretted. Amidst the chaos the prince had time to wonder if this was the worst mistake of his entire life.

"Paxxi!" An unidentifiable voice cried out.

"Get down!" Another voice called.

The prince also heard several screams of pain and shuddered at each one. He hissed in pain as he aggravated his shoulder further. He finally crawled to a relatively safe place. He hid behind a pillar and tried to control his rapid breathing. He had to calm down or he would hyperventilate.

"Guerra! Look out!"

There were still many assassin droids and the prince could see no sign of Baftu. He looked for any of his royal guard, but he couldn't see any without revealing his position. He thought he heard a strange buzzing and when he peered around the pillar he swear he saw a flash of green. Two bolts singed by him and the prince cursed. He had been spotted. His shoulder protested even the slightest of movements and he clenched his jaw to keep from crying out in pain. He got to his feet and fought the rolling waves of agony. More shots came towards his direction and he decided to make a break for it.

He ran, but this caused him to wrench his shoulder and his legs buckled when the pain. He used his arms to break his fall and immediately regretted the action. He cried out in agony. Damn it! He was a prince! He had no weapons and was injured. His father must be rolling in his grave now. What kind of son had he raised? He was no coward!

The prince got to his feet again and hissed in pain and triumph. He heard a whirring sound and reeled around. An assassin droid was lining him up in its sights. Time seemed to slow and the prince could swear he heard his own heart beat. Was this it? He was going to die dishonorably on some strange world. His mother and world flashed before his eyes. They were both dying and he wouldn't be able to save either! Damn it! This wasn't fair!

The assassin droid aimed unemotionally at its target. The prince was paralyzed and could not react fast enough. He stared at death and it beckoned. He heard the shot ring out and found himself pushed to the ground. He closed his eyes and waited to die. He waited. Damn it! What was taking so long? He opened his eyes in annoyance and saw a man standing over him with a green laser sword in his hand. What? The assassin droid was dismembered and the sounds of fighting had died away. The man deactivated his sword and hooked it on his belt. He offered the prince a hand up and the prince took it.

"Prince Beju." The man said in a low commanding voice.

The prince had quite a scare, but he was palace trained he quickly remembered his manners.

"Yes. I am Prince Beju. I thank you."

There was real gratitude in his eyes, but also confusion. He knew he would normally demand to know what was going on and who this man was, but his honor prohibited him. This man had just saved his life. He dipped his head respectfully.

"I am Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn." The man said. "And you are not supposed to be here." He added with amusement.

Qui-Gon noted that the boy had the shame to blush.

"I quite agree." The boy said.

Qui-Gon smiled. There was good in everyone. There was some amount of humility even in the most arrogant of princes. The Force worked in many wondrous ways.

"Come on." He gestured the prince to follow.

The prince followed a step or two behind him just like Obi-Wan. A grimace crossed Qui-Gon's face and he tried to shake away the fresh waves of grief that came. The prince was the same height and build as Obi-Wan though he was probably a couple of years older. Qui-Gon walked back to where Guerra and Paxxi were cradling their mother in their arms.

The Phindian woman was dead. The assassin droids had hit their mark well and she had died quickly. The two brothers were weeping over their dead mother and Terra was leaning against the wall with a troubled expression in her eyes. Her eyes refocused when she saw the Jedi and the prince. Her orange eyes regarded them with little interest. Clearly she was deep in thought.

Qui-Gon kneeled down beside the two brothers and put a comforting hand on both of their shoulders.

"It wasn't supposed to be this way!" Guerra sobbed.

"It never is." Qui-Gon consoled.

Tears rolled down Guerra's face and he clutched something round and black in his hand. Terra looked away. Paxxi looked up at Qui-Gon and the prince who was searching the room to see if any of his guards were alive; they were not. Paxxi's eyes narrowed in anger.

"You! This is all your fault!" He blamed.

"It is no fault of mine." The prince stated calmly with a little hint of his earlier arrogance.

"You lie!" Paxxi screamed and rocked back and forth.

"If there is any blame then it resides on Baftu." The prince stated.

Paxxi said nothing, but knew what the prince said was true. There was a solemn silence and then Terra broke it.

"Are you going to let him get away with your mother's murder?"

The two brothers stared up at their sister.

"She's your mother too!" Paxxi screamed. "She stayed with you because she loved you!"

Terra shrugged. A raging fire was building in her eyes.

"Are you going to let him get away with it brother?"

Guerra and Paxxi jumped to their feet and enveloped their sister in a hug. A strange expression crossed her face, but she did not pull away.

"You must go," She said. "Baftu must pay."

Qui-Gon felt her anger and the dark ripples it caused in the Force. It was not her mother's death that she was angry about. Baftu had betrayed her and she was not betrayed lightly. She was manipulating her brother's emotions and making them believe that she remembered. Qui-Gon sighed inwardly.

The brothers nodded and their faces were filled with resolve.

"I will stay with our mother." Terra said.

They nodded and stood next to Qui-Gon and the prince. They took one last glance at their sister and mother and then turned away. Qui-Gon and the prince followed. They were near the exit when Qui-Gon suddenly stopped. The prince nearly collided into him and bit his tongue to keep from cursing in annoyance. Paxxi and Guerra also stopped and looked questioningly at Qui-Gon.

Qui-Gon felt the Force call out to him and he looked to his left. A weapons rack was resting against a wall. His heart pounded as he realized what he saw. He reached out his hand and found it to be trembling. He slowly lifted Obi-Wan's lightsaber from the rack. A thickness in his throat built up and his emotions almost overtook him. He shoved them all away and clipped the lightsaber next to his own. Qui-Gon paused to collect himself and to block out his guilt.

"Come on Jedi-Gon," Paxxi urged softly. "We'll find him."

Qui-Gon nodded curtly and walked swiftly out the door. Beju selected a blaster and jogged to keep up. He was not going to be a helpless coward anymore, damn it! As they walked away they heard a feral cry of rage and betrayal from inside. They all paused and knew that Terra had entered the vault and found the treasure stolen. Qui-Gon ignored it and continued his pace. The brother's shook their head in sorrow and hurried to keep up with the Jedi.

The streets were in chaos. Phindians were running with supplies while others held blasters and shouted. The four began to run towards where the most Phindians were fighting. A line of Syndicat guards were holding off the mob.

Qui-Gon felt the Force surge around him and dove straight into the battle. Paxxi and Guerra took off in different direction but fought with ferocity; their eyes peeled for Baftu. Beju ran to catch up with Qui-Gon, firing his blaster. He stayed at Qui-Gon's side and covered his flank while Qui-Gon quickly and easily defeated the guards. Beju quickly lost his breath trying to keep up, but he managed fairly well. His shoulder hurt like hell, but his adrenaline helped him push past it.

Qui-Gon and Beju made their way through the Syndicat guards and saw Kaadi in the midst of battle. She was ferocious as a wild Mali pack and the guards seemed to quail beneath her. She roared and the Phindians roared back. The Sydicat guards were quickly realizing they were going to loose. Their numbers had severely been depleted already and they were spread too thin. One dropped his weapon and put his hands up in surrender. The others quickly followed example. Kaadi roared in triumph and the Phindians echoed it.

The fighting had not completely stopped though. A large group of assassin droids and Syndicat guards were clustered by the spaceport. Qui-Gon cursed and ran towards them. He should have known that Baftu's only thought would be escape. Prince Beju's ship came into view and the fighting was mostly centered around it. He looked over his shoulder and saw Beju a few feet behind, blaster in hand. A look of arrogant rage was taking over his face as he saw what was happening to his ship. Phindian rebels were unloading it of the Bacta while others protected them.

Guerra and Paxxi were in the thick of it. Their faces had transformed to something dark and menacing. Qui-Gon could feel the dark ripples of the Force underneath it all. Anger, hatred, desperation… The prince had finally caught up and was breathing heavily. Qui-Gon had to block the image of Obi-Wan out of his head. It was very easy for his mind to believe that it was Obi-Wan at his side instead of Prince Beju, but he wouldn't let himself.

Qui-Gon spotted Baftu and could hear Guerra and Paxxi's bellow of rage as they tried to get to him. The line of defense was too strong and they were powerless to stop him. Baftu disappeared inside of the ship and seconds later blaster fire was heard from inside. Qui-Gon knew that the Galacians inside had all been killed.

The ship's ion engines fired and the ship began to rise. Qui-Gon watched coolly, knowing there was nothing that could be done.

"THAT'S MY SHIP!" Prince Beju shouted in rage. "HE'S STEALING MY SHIP! THAT SON OF A—"

Prince Beju's shouting was drowned out by the sound of a proton grenade explosion. They ducked and rolled to the ground to avoid the shrapnel. They looked up and saw the still retreating form of Beju's ship against the sky.

"Damn it!" Beju cursed and passed out.

* * *

_A/N: I hope you guys liked it. It was fun to write. Cross Country is over! sadness plus happiness Running a 5K was always fun, but tiring. Thanks for the compliments! Hopefully I'll update soon, but you can never tell whether it'll take a week or three months._


	14. 14

14

* * *

"_It won't be so bad." Garen Muln told Obi-Wan. "At least you're going on an adventure."_

"_And you'll be around food." Reeft added, hopefully._

"_Who knows where each of us will end up?" Bant added. "The mission to come will be different for each of us."_

* * *

The lost boy was directed where to sit. There was something extremely strange in the air and he couldn't describe it. The thing in the air was serving to make his stomach hurt more and his mouth was wet. He looked around with wide and confused eyes as to what was in the air. He could not see it, but it was everywhere. Shiko was sitting next to him and moving around a lot. He grabbed something shiny from the flat surface it was on and started poking the surface.

"Shiko!" The kind woman reprimanded.

"Sorry mommy." Shiko said sweetly and put the shiny thing down.

The kind woman smiled and continued to do whatever she was doing. Shiko watched her for a second and picked up a different shiny thing. It was round and curved on one end and straight on the other. Shiko started banging it on a round but flat surface in a strange pattern. The lost boy looked at his own. He picked it up and examined it.

"We waaaant fooooood…" Shiko drawled out and banged on his plate.

The lost boy tapped on the plate experimentally.

"Shiko! Behave!" The woman called out again.

"Okay mommy!" Shiko said just as sweetly as the first time.

The kind woman sighed. Shiko looked at the lost boy with a mischievous gleam in his eye. The lost boy held up his shiny object and lightly tapped it on the round flat surface. Shiko nodded.

"What is this?" The lost boy asked.

"It's a spoon!" Shiko said excitedly. "You eat with it."

The lost boy looked even more confused, but at least he knew what to call the object.

"Like this!" Shiko said and put the spoon in his mouth.

The lost boy copied him. He put the spoon in his mouth and kept it there. Shiko started laughing. Keta snuck a glance over at the two and shook her head with a large smile dominating her face. Tiku snorted. The lost boy looked at the end of the spoon that was sticking out of his mouth. Shiko started laughing harder.

"You're so funny!" He said delightedly.

The lost boy managed to smile with the spoon still in his mouth. Shiko picked up his spoon and kept it in his mouth. He then picked up another shiny object and put it behind his ear. The lost boy did the same. The two young boys looked at each other and then at the others. Keta looked at her parents (who had not noticed yet) and then back at her own silverware. She put her spoon in her mouth, her fork behind her ear, and then put her napkin on top of her head. The two boys put their own napkins on their heads. All three of them then looked expectantly at Tiku.

"I'm not a conformist," Tiku whispered to them. "You can't make me."

The three continued to stare at him and Tiku fidgeted. Keta wiggled her spoon in her mouth at him. Shiko rearranged the napkin on his head so it fell over his eyes. The lost boy smiled largely with the spoon in his mouth. The fork fell out of his heard and it fell to the table with a loud clang. He picked it back up and put it behind his ear. Tiku looked nervous.

"Oh fine!" He sighed.

Tiku put his spoon in his mouth, fork behind his ear, napkin on his head, and then put his fist into his empty glass. He held up his glassed-hand and waved it. Everyone at the table did the same.

"All right! Dinner's done!" Avlo's wife called out holding a steaming plate of something that the lost boy couldn't begin to describe.

She almost dropped the plate when she saw her children and the lost boy waving at her with their drinking glasses. The napkins she meticulously folded were on their heads and their eating utensils were in their mouths and behind their ears. She made a sort of high pitched shrieking noise and loudly set the plate on the table.

Avlo looked over at his family and burst out into peels of laughter. Soon his children were squirming in their seats as they tried to contain their own laughter. Tiku was the first to spit out his spoon and laugh with his father. Their mother glared at her husband and eldest son but soon Keta and Tiku were laughing as well.

The lost boy felt a strange sensation in the pit of his stomach. His chest started heaving and a weird sound came out of his mouth that he could not control. It didn't hurt it was just really strange. After awhile his mouth started to hurt but it was a good sensation. The lost boy liked it. Shiko's eyes were bright and shining with amusement. He liked his new friend a lot. He was funny.

Avlo's wife had her arms crossed and a stern look on her face but it soon melted away. For the first time in months her family was laughing together like they should be. She didn't know how they had unconsciously drifted apart or if anyone else had noticed. It had started a few weeks after Keta's mentor had started teaching her. Keta began to challenge whatever her father said and it caused a tension between the two. She had tried to keep them from fighting, but it only worked so well. Then there was Tiku. He was almost an adult and she was starting to sense that he longed to get out on his own. Avlo didn't know how to let go. Shiko was oblivious.

Now they were laughing again! A smile crept across her face. Her family was whole again; if just for this one time.

"All right, settle down." She scolded half-heartedly.

Her family eventually stopped laughing and she put her hands on her hips.

"Now, if you tell me the truth no one will get hurt." She said darkly.

Avlo beamed, knowing he didn't have to face his wife's wrath. His children looked uneasily at each other.

"Who started it?" Their mother asked.

Her eyes immediately looked to the eldest of her children. Tiku put up his hands and shook his head.

"Okay, I _am_ a conformist." He admitted.

Her eyes then focused on her only daughter.

"I'm not that devious." She said.

Keta's mother raised an eyebrow and then settled on the most devious and daring of her children. Shiko was reaching for the meal she had set on the table with a fork, but his little arms were not long enough.

"Shiko?" She asked.

"Not meeee!" Shiko drawled out. "He did!"

Shiko pointed to the lost boy with his fork. The lost boy smelled the air quite profusely. He was trying to find out the strange sensation he was getting in his nose and mouth. The only thing he could figure out was that it was good sensation and his mouth was getting wet. He looked at the untouched large object on a larger plate and then back at his empty plate. He was utterly confused.

The matriarch of the family didn't know what to do with her new charge. Should she scold him half-heartedly like she did the rest of her family or should she praise him for finally bringing the family together? She doubted that the boy even knew if he had done something strange or out of the ordinary. He seemed so lost and confused. Sometimes she saw the boy get this blank stare. She didn't know why it frightened her so much. It was like nothing was there. Avlo told her that he found the boy on the hills near Galu. He had mistaken him for a hill person at first… The boy was lucky that Avlo had not done anything drastic. Avlo did not like the Hill People.

"Mom!" Tiku brought her back to reality.

She decided. She patted the boy on the head and smiled at him. There was no use scolding a guest. Besides, she didn't think she could speak sharply with the boy even if she wanted to. He tugged too much at her heart. She had a double motive as well. She would knock her children's preconceived notions down a notch. They wouldn't know what to do.

As she predicted all of her children (even Shiko) were looking at her with confused eyes. She took the napkin off the boy's head and set it in his lap.

"All right everyone, if you are quite finished, dinner is done." She said.

The three children gave each other uneasy looks. Even Avlo was a little suspicious but decided since for the first time he wasn't the cause of his wife's scheming it was a good thing. He shrugged and began to slice up the roast his wife had made for dinner. His wife went around putting various vegetables on their plates. She set a basket of rolls in the middle of the table. Shiko immediately grabbed one and put it on his plate. The lost boy, seeing Shiko take one, hesitantly took one. He put it on his own plate, but did nothing with it.

Avlo's wife put a heap of green and yellow boiled vegetables on the lost boy's plate and the lost boy looked up at her in confusion.

"Growing boys like you need all the vegetables you can get."

"Veg-tubbles?" The boy asked.

"That's right."

The lost boy looked over at Shiko while the mother went on to serve the meat. Shiko was making strange faces and gestures at his own vegetables. The lost boy was beyond confused but decided that Shiko must know what was going on and decided to follow his lead. He made weird faces at his vegetables as well.

The thing that was most bothering the boy was the strange sensations he felt in his mouth and his nose. He couldn't seem to get rid of them. What were they? Why didn't Shiko seem to know about them?

"That smells good mom." Keta commented.

More words the lost boy didn't understand! He wasn't frustrated, he was confused. He didn't even know how to ask about the weird feelings he was getting because he couldn't describe them. He looked at his plate and the various things on it. He leaned closer to it and his eyes widened. The weird feelings in his nose were coming from it. He leaned even closer and inhaled sharply. There it was again! The boy was going to try again but a strange sound emitted from his stomach. The boy tensed and looked around wildly. Shiko snorted.

"Mommy, you better hurry. He's hungry." Shiko said with a laugh.

"Well then!" The woman said. "Let's get going!"

The family laughed but the boy was still confused. At last everyone was sitting down. Everyone folded their hands together and the lost boy did as well. They all closed their eyes and Avlo started saying some more weird words that the lost boy did not understand. The family opened their eyes and began to use their spoons and other silver utensils to put the stuff on the plate into their mouth.

The lost boy looked at Shiko who held a roll in his hand. Shiko took a large bite of the roll and began to move his jaw back and forth. The lost boy did the same. His eyes widened as the sensation in his mouth became intense. It… was! The texture! The… the! What was it? The boy was at a loss again, but he didn't care. This sensation was like nothing he had ever felt before and he liked it! He chewed the roll in frenzy and his natural reaction was to swallow it. The boy began to panic. He braced for an onslaught of pain, but none came. He tried to keep track of where the roll was, but he lost it. It was a pleasant sensation as well.

The boy looked for another roll, but all of them were gone. He was a little upset, but looked to see what Shiko was doing. The young child was picking up the other objects on his plate and putting them in his mouth. That's it! He could put everything on the plate into his mouth!

"Shiko!" The mother reprimanded. "Use your fork!"

The boy watched intently as Shiko used his 'fork'. He poked some of the objects on his plate with the fork and they stayed on it! The boy was amazed. Shiko then put the fork in his mouth. A few seconds later the fork was brought out alone. Shiko noticed that he had an audience so he opened his mouth and showed the boy the grinded contents of his vegetables. The lost boy was intrigued.

"SHIKO!" The mother shrieked.

"Sffory mmommy." Shiko said with his mouth full.

Shiko's mother shook her head and continued her discussion with Avlo. The boy wasn't really paying attention to them. If he was he would have realized they were talking about him. The boy, however, found Shiko much more interesting. He had to try what Shiko did with the fork. He clumsily picked up his fork with his fist. He looked at the prongs and counted them. Four! He then skewered one of the yellow vegetables with it. He lifted his fork and the vegetable came with it. It was amazing! Now came the hard part… The fork was not _on_ the plate so therefore he could not swallow it, but the vegetable was _on_ the fork, but it was also _on_ the plate. He could eat the vegetable but not the fork. It was very confusing. The boy put the fork into his mouth and bit down on the vegetable. He then took the fork out of his mouth. _The vegetable was not there!_ The boy rapidly chewed. The vegetable brought different sensations than the roll did. It wasn't a bad sensation, but different. He liked the roll's sensation better than the vegetable's.

"He's not eating much." Avlo commented quietly.

"It's not that, it's just he's eating slowly." Avlo's wife stated.

"Sera, what if we don't find his parents?" Avlo asked.

Sera chewed thoughtfully.

"No one would abandon their own child. They're looking for him; they have to be." Sera said.

"It's just-- Something's not right. Why doesn't he remember?" Avlo asked.

"Maybe he was in an accident." Sera suggested.

"And what if his parents are dead and he's all alone?"

Sera was moved by the amount of caring her husband was portraying. He was genuinely worried about the boy. She put a comforting hand on his arm.

"Then we'll find him a nice home." Sera answered.

"We have a nice home." Avlo suggested.

Sera shot her husband a look that said _we'll talk about this later_. Meanwhile, her two older children were engaged in a conversation about Prince Beju. No one seemed to know where he was. His ship had left earlier in the day but it had not come back and it was night now. People were starting to get worried.

"It's all a tactic!" Keta exclaimed. "He's probably trying to impersonate being kidnapped to gain sympathy."

"Or he could be taking a vacation." Tiku pointed out. "He is a prince after all about to lose his throne. The stress must be getting to him."

"Don't tell me you're defending him!"

"I'm not!" Tiku reassured. "I just don't think you should jump to conclusions. You have to look at this from all sides."

Keta let out an aggravated sigh.

"Just pick a side already! This is getting so irritating."

Tiku was silent for a moment and collected his thoughts. He took a deep breath.

"Keta, this vote may be the single most important event in our history for many years. This election is going to affect all of our lives for years to come. Our whole society is being changed in a couple of days. This might be the most important decision of my life. What if I make the wrong choice?"

"Wrong choice? Come on Tiku, how many people do you think will be voting? Thousands? Tens of Thousands? It's just one vote. It's not even going to make a difference." Keta said.

Tiku's face became livid and he stood up from the table. His chair scooted back noisily and all heads turned towards him.

"Do you have to spout Kiban's words everywhere you go? I'm sick of listening to him! I want to hear what my sister thinks!" Tiku snarled.

All conversation stopped. Sera put a hand on her forehead and fought the urge to cry. Her family was coming apart at the seams. Now even her children were fighting. Tiku usually didn't snap at anyone, especially not Keta. He had always watched out for Keta and defended her when she was insulted—And Keta loved Tiku. She would never have said anything to offend him; not three months ago anyway. Sera took a deep breath.

The lost boy's head snapped up. Something was not right. He couldn't describe it. It wasn't pain or fear he was feeling. It was something bad. He looked at Keta and Tiku and felt the badness coming from around them. The feeling swirled around and inside of him and he did not like it. It made him shiver. Something was terribly wrong!

The lost boy's throat started to become thick again. Why? Why was this happening? Where did the wrongness come from? His nose started to tingle and his eyes stung. He looked at his shaking hands. He began to breathe erratically and the attention slowly diverted to him. His eyes were wet and they were falling.

"Mommy!" Shiko cried out.

Sera looked up sharply and saw the lost boy crying. Her heart ached even more. The boy must have been sensitive and her children's fighting set off his emotions. Sera immediately went to the suffering child. He looked up at her with watery eyes and his confused face. Why was he so confused? He was crying and he didn't even know why. She ruffled his hair and kissed his forehead.

"It's all right." She murmured.

Keta's and Tiku's anger evaporated into the atmosphere. They looked at the ground in shame. Keta put her elbow on the table and held her forehead.

"I'm sorry." She mumbled.

Tiku shook his head, but he sat back down.

"It's okay," He muttered. "It doesn't matter."

Keta blanched. Her brother was now hiding his feelings. She hated when he did that. He was so hard to reach sometimes.

"No, Tiku, I really am." Keta said earnestly.

"Don't worry about it." Tiku said.

"But—"

"Forget it."

Keta inwardly sighed. The boy was starting to settle down now. She felt ashamed of herself. She shouldn't have said what she said. It wasn't only the boy who was upset; her mother and Shiko looked sad as well. Her father was unreadable. He looked deep in thought. The lost boy wiped at his eyes and clumsily picked up his spoon. He tried to scoop his meat but it wasn't working so well. Her mother helped him. She cut the pieces into smaller pieces and told him to use his fork. The boy's brow furrowed as he watched Sera. He decided to use his spoon and he seemed happy with it. Sera smiled and went back to her seat.

"Can you pass the salt?" Tiku asked Keta.

The boy looked up from his plate and saw Keta pass Tiku the salt. Suddenly the wrong feeling was gone and he smiled.

* * *

_A/N: How many times can I thank you guys? The compliments are just too much! Beju was unbelievably fun to write, perhaps I shall include him a lot in my story… So, less than three months! Only a month and three days! Yay! Hopefully the next one will be soon._


	15. 15

15

* * *

"_No!" Qui-Gon cried. "I will not! And I order you not to do this."_

"_Qui-Gon, think of the many who will loose their lives," Obi-Wan said urgently. Think of what Xanatos will win. Think of Bandomeer. Our mission was to protect it. If I don't do this, we fail."_

"_This is not the way," Qui-Gon said grimly._

_Obi-Wan's face was white and still. Determination tightened every muscle._

"_Yes, Qui-Gon. I can do it. I _will_ do it."

* * *

_

Prince Beju slowly opened his eyes and tried to clear his foggy memory. He looked at the bed he was lying in. It was drab and dirty. He then proceeded to look at his surroundings. They were drab and dirty as well. A small shaft of sunlight shone through a dirt stained window. He _definitely_ wasn't on Gala and he did not like it. Had he been kidnapped? He rose to a sitting position and a sharp pain made him lie back down. Damn it that hurt! What the hell was that? He looked at the source of the pain with disdain. A large bandage was wrapped around his shoulder tightly. It was well done. Who would kidnap him, but treat his shoulder? Prince Beju was starting to get angry. He needed to know, damn it! He was a prince of Gala! He rose to a sitting position again and took a moment to get past the invertigo.

A sudden movement caught his eye and he tensed up. A large man entered the room and the Prince relaxed. The memories started coming back to him. He remembered the name; Qui-Gon Jinn. He was the Jedi that saved him. He must have treated his wound as well. He heard somewhere that the Jedi were healers as well.

"Good, you are up." Qui-Gon said briskly.

The prince nodded.

"Is your shoulder bothering you too much?" He asked.

"No, not that much." Beju said.

Beju didn't want to admit that it hurt a lot. He wasn't a boy. He could handle it. Besides, he was all right enough to wave a blaster around the last time he was conscious so he should be fine now. Qui-Gon smiled at the boy. He helped prince Beju to his feet.

"Come on then." Qui-Gon said. "You should be well enough to help out."

"Help what?" Prince Beju asked skeptically.

"The Phindians. They need all the help they can get trying to distribute supplies and rebuild their homes and government."

"Me? Help them?" Beju asked disbelievingly.

Qui-Gon laughed at the Prince's consternation.

"Spin it any way you want on Gala. The fact is they could really use your help." Qui-Gon said neutrally.

Beju thought for a second. He could use this to his advantage. This whole deal with the Syndicat government had blown up in his face (quite literally). This would be a good way to salvage his failure. _Prince Beju the Humanitarian. _He liked it.

"All right." Beju agreed.

Qui-Gon was surprised it was that easy. He ushered Beju out of the room to some Phindians who were furiously working. They stopped to greet Qui-Gon and slapped Beju on the back with camaraderie. They immediately set him to work and treated him like one of their own. They no doubt knew about his original intentions, but they also knew that he had been wounded helping them fight against the Syndicat. Qui-Gon smiled again. The Force worked mysteriously, very mysteriously.

The Jedi Master brought out his comlink and contacted the Jedi Temple. His movements were slow, but precise. The worst was over for Phindar. Now it was the hard part, rebuilding.

"_Master Qui-Gon," _Yoda's voice was grave. "_Feared the worst we did when news came that you had not arrived on Gala."_

Did Yoda already sense Obi-Wan's condition? Qui-Gon had sensed a little of it, but he was in closest proximity. He shuddered at the memory. The despair was almost too much for him to handle.

"We were hijacked to Phindar by two well-meaning brothers. The situation was dire and we discovered that it would directly affect Gala. I decided it would help our original mission and offered my aid."

Yoda's hologram nodded slowly and motioned for Qui-Gon to continue.

"The planet was being controlled by a corrupt government called the Syndicat led by a Phindian named Baftu who created false shortages and fear to rule the planet." Qui-Gon took a moment to calm himself. "He also used a machine that completely erased a person's memory. It is… horrific and cruel."

Qui-Gon pinched his brow and looked away, collecting himself.

"_Resolved the situation was?_" Yoda asked.

"Yes, the Syndicat was removed. Baftu escaped, but the Phindians are forming a new government. Now, all that is left is reconstruction."

Qui-Gon didn't know how he was going to report his failure. Yoda would be disappointed. They would all be disappointed. He had a startling tendency to loose apprentices.

"_Glad to hear that I am," _Yoda said,_ "On your mind something else is."_

"Obi-Wan…" Qui-Gon began.

"_A problem with your apprentice there is." _Yoda stated.

"While helping the Phindians he was captured and renewed." Qui-Gon said without emotion.

He knew that Yoda could read his stoic face and hear beyond his cold words.

"_Renewed?_" Yoda asked.

"Memory wiped and taken off planet." Qui-Gon elaborated.

Yoda was silent and Qui-Gon looked away to hide the pain he could not keep from his face. He breathed a few even breaths and called upon the Force for calm. If he thought too much about Obi-Wan it felt like he was being ripped apart on the inside. He looked back at Yoda.

"_Know you where young Obi-Wan is?_" Yoda asked.

"No Master Yoda, I request permission to have another Jedi team sent in my place at Gala so I can search for my padawan."

Padawan. He still couldn't get used to that word. Yoda stroked his chin with a green claw and his wise eyes narrowed.

"_Wise that is. Sent another team shall be. For Obi-Wan you will look, but benefit everyone a stabilized Phindar would._"

"I agree." Qui-Gon said.

Qui-Gon could have sworn Yoda looked weary. Perhaps the news of Obi-Wan had hit him harder than he let on.

"_May the Force be with you."_ Yoda said.

"And you." Qui-Gon concluded and shut off the comlink.

Qui-Gon quietly put the comlink away and stared off at the walls of the empty room. His hand strayed to his belt. His fingers brushed Obi-Wan's lightsaber. A Jedi was never supposed to be parted from his lightsaber. It was as much apart of a Jedi as the Force was. It was not only a weapon, but a symbol. It was the light in the darkness. It was designed to defend and to kill. Obi-Wan was out in the vast galaxy without it. The galaxy was dangerous enough as it was with his heightened abilities. Obi-Wan was just a boy and he was alone.

The Jedi Master knew he did not have time to stand here and worry. He had to find the boy. He had hoped Duenna could help, but she was dead. Terra had sulked off somewhere after finding the treasury empty. She would turn up one day. She had no where else to go. Guerra and Paxxi were just as ardent in rebuilding their planet as they were in saving it. They along with Kaadi were held in the highest honor. They were heroes among their people.

There were casualties. All battles had casualties. Many rebels had given their life. Duenna was gone. The renewed were still lost to them… Obi-Wan was gone. He knew it was very unjedi-like of him, but the loss of his padawan was more important to him than the lives of the others. It was the right thing to do. If Qui-Gon was placed in the same situation he would have done the same thing. To not would deny everything he believed in. Obi-Wan had acted like the Jedi he was bound to become. He had acted the same way Qui-Gon would have.

But it wasn't fair! Qui-Gon was back in the tunnel on Bandomeer. Obi-Wan was ready to die for Bandomeer-- for him. If his idea had taken him just a few more seconds to think of Obi-Wan would have already been dead. The boy was ready to die. Is that what the Jedi were teaching their students; to die? Qui-Gon's thoughts turned to the Jedi temple. Were all the young children there only future sacrifices for the sake of a peace that never lasted? No matter how hard the Jedi strove they could not eradicate evil from the galaxy. There was darkness inside of everyone. His former padawan had taught him that.

A familiar and sickening twist in his gut made Qui-Gon wince. Seeing Xanatos again was like a punch in the face. The past wouldn't let go so easily—especially when it kept popping up to remind him. Xanatos was his greatest failure.

'_Soon to be replaced by Obi-Wan_.'

Xanatos probably wouldn't like that. He liked being the best, even if it was the best of the worst. He had a feeling that he would see Xanatos again. His former apprentice needed the last word and wouldn't be content until he got it. Why was he still thinking of Xanatos when Obi-Wan was no closer to being found? He was a Jedi. He should let go of the hurt of his betrayal, but he still could not. Yoda had to practically force him to take a Padawan and Obi-Wan had to prove himself countless times.

Kaadi walked through the door and Qui-Gon immediately turned to her. She smiled and her green-gold eyes spoke her happiness. Qui-Gon bowed his head once and smiled lightly at her.

"How is it going?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Very well," Kaadi answered. "We've almost got all food and supplies out to the people. We have several teams working on repairing the damage of the battle. Baftu's treasury was vast and I'm sure with a lot of efficient planning we'll able to keep the economy up till the new government is back on it's feet."

"That is good." Qui-Gon approved.

Kaadi's shoulders slumped slightly.

"It is a lot of work Master Qui-Gon." She stated seriously.

"But there are many willing to help; even Prince Beju is helping. This is not your burden alone Kaadi." He reassured.

"I know—believe me Qui-Gon, I know. It's just… Sometimes I don't know what to do. More and more people look to be for the answers. What if I can't give them? There are some things that can't be made better. They're just lost."

Qui-Gon caught the hidden meaning behind Kaadi's words. The Renewed. There was no way to get their memories back. It was the first question he had asked. Their memory was gone like information not saved to a holopad.

Hope. He must have hope. With the Force there was always a way.

"We'll get your father back Kaadi." Qui-Gon said, thinking of Obi-Wan.

"Even if it's just a body?" Kaadi whispered.

Qui-Gon swallowed hard.

"Yes, even then. At least you will know that his suffering had ended and he would be proud that you helped free your planet." Qui-Gon reassured.

Kaadi's eyes were starting to get shiny and she wiped at them. Qui-Gon was struck by how young she looked now. The rebellion had forced her to grow up early. She was probably as young as Guerra and Paxxi. Qui-Gon took Kaadi's hands in his own and squeezed them once, looking into her eyes.

"It will get better Kaadi. You will see." Qui-Gon said warmly.

Kaadi shook her head, but her face had become resolved again. Good. Kaadi had proved that she could do just about anything if she had enough determination.

"You'll get Obi-Wan back as well," Kaadi said. "In time."

"Yes, I will." Qui-Gon said, almost not believing his words.

"That's what I came to ask you," Kaadi started pacing around. "I was hoping to form a team of Phindians to deal specifically with finding those who had been renewed and bringing them back to their original families. I was hoping you would want to be apart of this. It is the best thing you can do for Obi-Wan. Perhaps you'll find where they sent him."

Qui-Gon nodded, but the outcome seemed grim. When faced with destruction or imprisonment people tended to destroy evidence. Those responsible for Obi-Wan's memory wipe had either fled or destroyed all knowledge of his existence. It wouldn't be that hard. Obi-Wan had come from off-world. They could easily claim that they hadn't renewed anyone but Phindians. The Jedi Master knew he should expect that the files were erased, but perhaps someone had stuck around and would be willing (or unwilling) to tell him anything.

"Good, I was counting on it. This might be the hardest part of bringing Phindar back together." Kaadi said.

That wasn't totally true. Finding the renewed would be very difficult, but living with them and hoping that they might remember _something _would be infinitely worse. It wasn't something they could just fix. Obi-Wan couldn't just be fixed. Qui-Gon didn't even think the Jedi Healers could do much.

"Qui-Gon? Are you all right?" Kaadi asked with concern.

Qui-Gon smiled reassuringly.

"Yes." He lied.

Kaadi led Qui-Gon outside and they were met with Guerra, Paxxi, and three other Phindians.

"Jedi-Gon!" Guerra and Paxxi exclaimed and immediately gave Qui-Gon a traditional Phindian hug, squeezing three times.

"How did you do it?" Guerra asked.

"We just saw Prince Beju picking up stray debris near the spaceport!" Paxxi explained.

All the Phindians laughed.

"Dasda is trying to give him the grossest and most boring things to do." One of the other Phindians commented.

"It's so!" Guerra chortled.

Qui-Gon smiled lightly again. This would be good for Prince Beju. A little lesson in humility never hurt.

"He used the Force brother!" Paxxi said.

"So, so!" Guerra agreed.

"Not so." Qui-Gon said and the brother's mouths dropped.

"But… how?" Paxxi stammered.

"I asked, he said yes." Qui-Gon said with mild amusement.

"Not so!" Guerra denied.

"It must be so, brother, Jedi do not lie."

The team began their trek towards former Syndicat Headquarters. The building had blaster burns all over it and it looked as if it had seen better days. It was eerily quiet and not a Phindian was in sight. The team paused for a minute simply to look at the building that had been a source of terror for them all.

"I am not afraid," Paxxi said. "Not so." He added to himself.

Qui-Gon saw Obi-Wan's face in his mind again. He was back on Bandomeer and about to be thrown off the mining platform. The face was peaceful and ready to accept that the next breath may be his last. Did he have the same face when he was memory wiped? Qui-Gon took a step forward and the Phindians followed.

The inside of the Headquarters was just as bare and dismal as the outside. There were no guards or anyone in sight. They had either fled or were hiding. Qui-Gon closed his eyes and listened to the Force. If anyone was hiding they might decide to attack them. He had to keep his senses alert. His hand crept to where his lightsaber rested on his belt. The silence was long and uncomfortable and Qui-Gon could hear the separate breathing patterns of each of the Phindians. Two of the Phindians were slightly injured and so their breathing was slightly hitched. Guerra and Paxxi's breath were oddly in sync. The last Phindian's breath was a half a second behind the brother's and made an odd syncopated rhythm when his fear got the better of him. Qui-Gon's own breath was barely discernable.

The team walked for five more minutes when Qui-Gon stopped them abruptly. Something was not right. The Force was not screaming any warnings at him, but he felt extremely uneasy.

"Keep your eyes peeled." Qui-Gon cautioned.

The Phindians's eyes widened and their breathing sped up a notch. They had just fought a battle, but they were a far cry from warriors. They were strong because there were so many to rise up against injustice, but in the former Syndicat Headquarters they were few. The team continued on again led by Qui-Gon. Something was not right, but his attention was being severely distracted by the sinister voice in his head.

'_What makes you think that he's still alive? Even if you do find where they sent him and by some miracle he's still alive, he can never come back. He can never be a Jedi.'_

The Jedi Master ignored the voice. The Force was trying to tell him something. There was danger everywhere. They could be surrounded. He had led them right into a trap…

_'Good job Master Jinn. Loosing your touch? You drove a gifted Jedi Apprentice to the dark side. You couldn't even keep a thirteen year old boy safe.'_

A strange pressure was building inside of Qui-Gon. Someone was here in this room with them and that someone didn't have good intentions. Where was he? The Force was screaming at him now.

_'He probably wondered why you didn't save him. You sent him to his death! You didn't want another padawan and so you sent a young boy to his death. Coward! You didn't deserve him as your padawan. You deserved to be betrayed by Xanatos. You deserved—'_

"GET DOWN!" Qui-Gon roared and activated his lightsaber.

A green light shot to life in the dim building as blaster bolts rang out from a corner in the dim room. By the Force, it was an ambush and he had walked right into it. Qui-Gon deflected blaster bolts and tried to cover the Phindians who were searching for their own cover. They crawled around the floor and finally made it to relative safety behind a large wrecked floater. They began to shoot their own weapons and provided Qui-Gon some cover-fire. Qui-Gon dashed to where Guerra, Paxxi, and the others were hiding. Their attackers were yelling at each other.

A small object flew from across the room and exploded five feet in front of the fallen floater. The Phindians covered their head and face with their long arms and waited for the ringing in their ears to stop. The shooting ceased for a second. It was a standoff.

"You don't have to do this!" Guerra yelled. "The Syndicat is gone!"

"You fool! Do you think I don't know what they'll do to me if I surrender?" A harsh voice bellowed.

"How do you know? They don't even know yet!" Guerra countered.

There was a murmuring of voices. Perhaps Guerra was getting through to them.

"No! I'm not going to spend the rest of my life in prison!" The harsh voice said and shot at the floater.

"Listen to them Weutta!" A subdued voice called out.

There was more murmuring which escalated into full scale arguing.

"If you help us we'll make sure you'll be given leniency!" Guerra shouted.

Qui-Gon was surprised at Guerra's boldness and his unusual eloquence. He might actually get through to the others with his speech. Weutta might be a different story though. He was right. There was no way the Phindians were going to let him go free.

"Baftu has left you! He fled at the first sign of danger! You can go back to your families!" Guerra said.

Guerra knew he had no chance of reaching Weutta, but if he could get to the others then they could get through this alive. He waited patiently and then heard a weapon clang to the ground. He peered over the floater and saw a Phindian with his hands up walking towards them. Two more joined him.

"What are you doing you slugs?" Weutta screeched. "Come back here!"

The Phindians ignored their superior and walked towards the fallen floater. Weutta's face became a mask of rage.

"NO! I AM NOT GOING TO PRISON!" Weutta screamed and fired his weapon at his comrades. The first bolt hit one in the back and he fell to the ground with a cry of surprise.

"No!" Guerra cried as Weutta aimed and fired at another one of his comrades.

Paxxi had his own blaster up and ready and a red lance of energy shot out straight at Weutta. Weutta was aiming for the last of his comrades when the blaster bolt hit him straight in the chest. Weutta looked down at the gaping wound in his chest with shock. He smiled at them sickly and then fell to the ground. The remaining guard had his hands still up and was looking at his fallen comrades and cursing. Paxxi dropped his weapon like it had burned him. Guerra was clenching his hands and shaking his head. He reached into his pocket and he seemed to calm down.

Qui-Gon stood up and deactivated his lightsaber. The rest of the Phindians did so hesitantly. The remaining guard was trembling all over. He was the one who had stood up first. He looked extremely pale and his orangish eyes were wide and darting all over the place. Qui-Gon made his way over to the fallen guards and confirmed that they were dead. He closed his eyes; more death.

"Th-They're dead aren't they?" The surviving guard asked.

Qui-Gon nodded solemnly and the guard wrung his hands anxiously.

"What's your name?" Qui-Gon asked.

"M-mali." The guard choked out.

Mali's eyes wandered to the object Qui-Gon was carrying and was overcome by a wave of familiarity. He looked closer at Qui-Gon. Oh no, he was human.

"Oh hells, you're his dad aren't you?" He asked in a shaky voice.

"What?" Qui-Gon asked, his heart beating faster.

"The boy!" Mali cried out. "He was renewed yesterday. You're his dad aren't you?"

Qui-Gon's heart stopped. _Obi-Wan_.

* * *

_A/N: Finally! I didn't even go as far as I wanted to on this chapter, but I had to post it! Onward to Gala!_


	16. 16

16

* * *

"_The beginning was the hardest," he said. "The Jedi Temple is calm and beautiful. It is my home, and yet it is not a _home_ like everyone else has."

* * *

_

It had been a week since Avlo found the boy. Each day in the morning he would journey to Galu and enquire if anyone had lost a young non-Galacian boy. He would come back every evening when the sun was beginning to set to see if anyone had heard anything. Avlo was exhausted. It was a long journey to the capital and he was only a farmer. It wasn't a _waste _of fuel, but each trip wasn't cheap. He was hoping that maybe the boy would remember something, but he did not. The boy couldn't even remember his own name much less where his parents were.

Avlo couldn't sleep so he sat up in his bed and looked blankly at the walls of the dark room. The boy was getting along great with Shiko. They were perfect together. The boy may have been much older and taller than his son, but they seemed the same age most times. The boy followed Shiko everywhere and each time they came back to the house they would both be laughing and the boy seemed less confused. Shiko was teaching him.

The boy spoke more now and even helped Shiko with his chores (Now they actually got done!). Sera doted on him constantly, Tiku tried to engage the boy in a political conversation but the boy was characteristically silent, and Keta rolled her eyes at him the same way she did with Shiko. Everyone liked him. Avlo sighed. They weren't going to find the boy's parents and part of him hoped that they didn't. He wasn't a genius but if anyone hadn't claimed any ties to the boy yet then they were either dead or they abandoned him. The boy fit perfectly into the family. He couldn't deny that his family had been less on edge since the boy arrived. Keta even treated Avlo with something close to respect.

"Avlo, get back to sleep. I can hear you thinking." Sera said softly.

"I can't," Avlo stated.

Sera sat up in the bed and yawned.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked.

"No," Avlo lied and Sera snorted.

She turned on a light and it softly illuminated the room. She raised her eyebrows and pursed her lips. She always knew when her husband was lying. Avlo shook his head.

"He doesn't even have a name Sera. We just call him 'boy'."

"We can't do anything about that. He doesn't remember." Sera rubbed Avlo's back soothingly.

"We could give him one…" Avlo suggested.

Sera's hand stopped and she looked seriously at her husband.

"Avlo, he's not ours. You may not have found his parents yet, but they may be out there. We can't keep him."

"We haven't found them yet."

"That doesn't mean anything."

"Sera, I know you like him. We all like him. We should—"

Sera's eyes lit up in anger and she pulled away from her husband.

"And what if we do name him and adopt him as our son? We all live happy and he's happy and doesn't remember anything of his past life. Then one day when we're all living our happy little lives his real parents do show up and they want him back? What do we do then Avlo? I'm not ready to give up one of my children and neither are you."

"Sera…" Avlo reached out for his wife.

Sera's expression softened and she rested her head on Avlo's shoulder.

"You're right. I'm not ready. Tiku is a legal adult now. He may leave at any minute and it scares me and makes me proud at the same time. He's a hard worker, but he doesn't know what he wants. Keta… She'll leave at the first chance she gets. She told me so." Avlo said softly. "She has such dreams..."

Sera took Avlo's hand in her own.

"All children eventually leave," Sera said.

"I didn't," Avlo said stubbornly.

"You didn't have to stay Avlo." Sera said, squeezing his hand.

"What will happen to the farm when I'm gone?" Avlo asked. "It was my father's farm, and my father's father, and so on for five generations."

Sera smiled lightly and her eyes shone in the soft light.

"It won't matter so much when you're dead." She chuckled.

Avlo's eyebrows shot up and his face scrunched up in disbelief.

"I guess not!" He conceded.

"Just worry about now," She soothed. "It will all work out somehow."

Sera kissed Avlo lightly and lay back down on the bed. Avlo lay on his side and closed his eyes. In the morning he wouldn't go into town. He had been there enough. If there was someone looking for the boy they would know where to find him.

The boy opened his eyes. He had asked Shiko the day before what it was that happened when he closed his eyes. Shiko said it was called sleeping. The boy then asked why he went to sleep and how come he didn't sleep more or whenever he closed his eyes. Shiko said it was because he didn't need to. The boy accepted. He didn't really like sleeping that much. It reminded him of the emptiness inside of his mind. When he was not sleeping there was Shiko, Avlo, and the others, but during sleep there was only the blackness. He remembered the blackness. It was the first thing he remembered. He didn't like it. It wasn't as bad as it was before. Now there was something to fill the void. It may have not been what it was before (if there was a before at all) but it was his. He could remember what happened yesterday and that was all that mattered.

He liked them all. He hadn't felt any bad feelings from them since the dinner. There was the occasional something from Keta that he couldn't figure out. He couldn't describe it. It was something not right. He hadn't seen the man named Kiban in awhile. Everyday Avlo and him went to the place where he came from (Avlo called it Galu) to find his parents.

"Hey!" Shiko said sharply.

The boy looked over at Shiko who was still in his bed.

"Why do you always do that when you wake up?" Shiko asked.

Shiko's voice always sounded different when he came from sleeping; more subdued.

"What?" The boy asked.

"You sit there and stare," Shiko yawned. "Looks boring."

"I try to remember," The boy said.

"Does it work?"

"No."

Shiko yawned and his eyelids closed slowly and reopened.

"Do you remember anything?" He asked.

"No," The boy answered.

"That's okay, you can stay with us." Shiko said.

"I can?" The boy asked.

The boy couldn't imagine being anywhere else. Avlo, Shiko, Tiku, Keta, and Sera were the only people he knew. The others that hurt him… He didn't want to see them again. If those were his parents then he didn't want to be with them. He didn't want to leave.

"_Home_," Avlo had said.

The boy had yet to ask Shiko about 'home' yet. He had a strange feeling about it like a part of him knew what it was, but he couldn't describe it. _Home_. Sera had talked about 'home' as well. She kept telling the boy that one day he would go 'home'. He had a feeling that it was something he should have, like a name, like parents.

"Yah!" Shiko exclaimed.

The corners of the boy's lips curled up in a smile. He wanted to stay and Shiko said he could. It was enough for him. Both the boys got up from their beds and put on new clothes. The lost boy didn't understand this either. Why were some clothes okay to wear for certain times only? Shiko knew what he was doing so the boy copied him. Sera had given him some of Tiku's old clothes. Shiko always wanted to 'race' to see who could get undressed and dressed the fastest. Shiko always won. The lost boy always got stuck on the shirt and Shiko had to help him. There were three holes in the shirt and he always chose the wrong one to put his head through. Shiko thought it was funny though.

Once dressed Shiko raced out of the room and the boy followed. It was easy to keep up with Shiko. The boy thought it might be because Shiko's legs were shorter, but he couldn't know for certain. It was one of the many questions he had to ask. He had a lot of them and tried to remember them all, but he couldn't. There were way too many.

"Slow down!" Sera yelled with a very large spoon in her hand.

Shiko skidded to a halt and the boy stopped right behind him. Sera waved the spoon at Shiko and told him not to run in the house. Shiko smiled and sat down at the table. The boy sat down right next to him. He looked eagerly at Sera and the steaming food she was making. He always enjoyed 'breakfast'—and 'lunch' and 'dinner'. He also liked 'snacks'.

Sera smiled broadly at the two young boys and walked over to the table. She started piling yellow stuff on the lost boy's plate. The lost boy looked at it in wonderment. He had never seen it before. He poked it tentatively with his fork. Shiko made a face at the yellow stuff and stuck out his tongue. Sera left and returned with a pot of little brown squares. The lost boy liked these. He smiled and Sera smiled back at him. The two boys immediately began to eat their breakfast. The lost boy ate the little brown and white squares first.

Shiko was poking the yellow stuff and making faces at it.

"What is it?" The lost boy asked Shiko.

"Scrambled Eggs," Shiko said with disdain.

The lost boy forked a large amount of scrambled eggs and shoveled it into his mouth. He let the taste assault him and he grimaced. He didn't really like it as much as the other foods. He was quickly learning that there were some foods that were better to eat than others. Shiko had told him 'dessert' was the best. As always, Shiko was right. The lost boy swallowed and his face scrunched up. He gripped his fork tighter and picked up more of the scrambled eggs. He forced them into his mouth and swallowed. He continued this many times.

"You don't have to do that," Shiko whispered next to him.

"What?" The boy asked quietly back.

"You don't have to eat it; hide it." Shiko whispered again.

Sera looked at the two boys with suspicion. Shiko smiled sweetly and the lost boy regained his confused expression.

"Drink your juice," She told both of them.

They both picked up their glasses at the same time and took a sip. Sera's eyebrows furrowed but she went back into the kitchen and hummed quietly. The lost boy looked at his remaining eggs with trepidation. How come the juice tasted so good and eggs did not? He got a strange idea. What if he mixed the juice with the eggs? Would that make the eggs taste good? He was about to ask Shiko, but Sera was watching them both out of the corner of her eye. He decided to try it and ask Shiko about it later.

The lost boy shoveled some eggs in his mouth and blanched at the taste. He then took a drink of juice and swallowed. The eggs tasted a whole lot better that way. The boy smiled and set about to the task of finishing his scrambled eggs. Shiko looked with shock at the lost boy's empty plate.

"How did you—" He began to ask.

Tiku stormed into the room with a huge grin on his face. His eyes looked really huge and his hair was messy. The lost boy's face was blank. It was a natural reaction for whenever Tiku was around. He could never understand anything of what Tiku was saying. If he tried hard enough he knew some words Tiku was saying. Shiko told him that he just talked fancy. Mostly the boy had to rely on the 'feelings'. He hadn't asked Shiko about them yet. He had to wait till he understood them better. He was around people and he just 'felt'. The 'feelings' were the most he understood, but also the least. Shiko and the others had to explain things like 'taste' to him, but he _knew_ feeling. There was feeling and then there was _feeling_. He could feel the smooth table, but he could also _feel _Tiku sometimes.

"Phindar!" Tiku nearly shouted. "He's on _Phindar_!"

The boy paused and listened to the words. What was a Fin-dar?

"What dear?" Sera asked as she prepared a plate for her oldest son.

Tiku sat down and took a sip of his hot brown juice. The lost boy wasn't allowed to have this brown juice, nor was Shiko.

"Beju! He's on Phindar!" Tiku exclaimed.

"Oh thank the dynasty!" Sera breathed in relief. "Our neighbors were telling me he was kidnapped."

"No, that wasn't it at all. A Jedi team was supposedly sent to Gala to oversee the elections, but then they didn't show up. Beju was apparently concerned and contacted the Jedi temple…"

The lost boy stopped trying to understand. Tiku was always confusing. One day he hoped to understand him.

"What's a Jedi?" The lost boy asked Shiko while Tiku continued to talk about Beju.

"I don't know. I never met one." Shiko said. "Maybe we should go look for one and ask him."

"…Then he _stays_ there to help the Phindians rebuild. That is going to get him some serious votes." Tiku finished.

"Your vote?" Sera asked coyly.

Tiku shrugged.

"I still haven't decided," He said. "But Beju will most likely continue the monarchy and then this election will have been almost pointless. Who are you voting for?"

Sera smiled and patted him on the head.

"The cute one," She answered.

Tiku sat there with his mouth hanging open.

"Please say you are joking," He gasped. "You _are _joking."

Sera smiled again.

"Don't you think this Beju going to Phindar is a little convenient?" Sera asked seriously.

"Well obviously he had some ulterior motive. His advisors are being characteristically silent. It's a nice story though." Tiku remarked.

"Boring…" Shiko drawled.

Tiku rolled his eyes and began to eat his breakfast. Avlo walked into the kitchen and Sera went to hand him his cup. The lost boy immediately stood up and headed towards the door. He knew that every morning they went to Gala. Avlo stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Not today, boy." Avlo said.

The lost boy's face clouded with confusion. They went to Galu everyday. Why not today? Would they go tomorrow? Was it not actually the time they went? He still didn't understand this 'time' thing.

"It's all right Daddy," Shiko smiled. "I already told him he could stay with us."

Sera froze and dropped the cup of brown juice she made for Avlo. The lost boy watched as the cup fell in air. It seemed to slow down and he had the impulse to reach out and grab it. The air got thicker and he was finding it harder to breath. The cup fell slower and slower and he extended his hand and grabbed it. When he touched the cup the air was normal again. The cup was creating a strange sensation in his fingers that soon became painful. He dropped the cup and it fell to the floor. The cup toppled over and the painful brown juice spilled all over the floor.

"Whoah!" Shiko exclaimed and laughed.

"Nice reflexes," Tiku commented.

Sera began to immediately clean up the spill on the floor. Avlo cleared his throat and looked at the laughing Shiko.

"Shiko…" Avlo began. "You can't just decide something like that on your on."

"He said he wanted to. So we decided together!" Shiko shrilled.

Avlo looked away and sighed. The lost boy was looking at his hand in confusion. Keta then walked in and her eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"Our lost one just caught that cup out of thin air." Tiku said.

Keta looked at the wet ground.

"He did…" She stated disbelievingly.

"Well, then he dropped it, but he did catch it." Tiku babbled.

"Right…" Keta said.

"Do it again!" Shiko shrieked and dropped his fork.

The fork clattered to the ground and Shiko crossed his arms. The lost boy was still staring at his hand. He couldn't understand what had just happened. The air was normal now. The blank look returned to his face and he decided to just accept. It was easier that way.

"Boy?" Avlo asked.

The lost boy looked up at Avlo with the blank expression. Avlo sighed on the inside. He hated the blankness on the boy's face. He saw it less and less, but each time it came back and it was more wrenching than the last.

"If we can't find your parents would you like to live with us?" Avlo asked.

Sera shook her head and brought Avlo another cup. Avlo gripped the cup by its handle and looked earnestly at the boy. The boy nodded slowly. Avlo clasped the boy warmly on the shoulder and the boy's blank mask melted into a smile. Shiko got out of his chair and embraced the lost boy's midsection. The lost boy let out a startled breath. Tiku and Keta smiled and looked at each other. Sera looked away. She had to keep reminding herself that it wasn't for certain. There was always that 'if'. She had to keep from getting too attached. No mother or father in their right minds would leave a child behind like the boy. Then again, there were many people not in their right minds.

She wanted to keep the boy, but something was telling her that she couldn't. What if the boy remembered? What would they do then? Avlo was already attached. Shiko had someone to play with. Keta and Tiku liked him and she worried about him constantly. It was already too late not to get attached. They had brought him into their home and now he was apart of it.

Shiko was jumping up and down now and grabbed the lost boy by the hand and started dragging him out the door.

"Shiko! Don't forget your chores!" Sera reflexively called out.

"Okay mommy!" Shiko said from far away.

Shiko led the lost boy across the golden fields to the large rock that Avlo had moved with his bare hands. The small river splashed in the distance. The lost boy liked this place. He didn't know why but he felt calmer when he was here.

"I had to get you away before they started assigning you chores." Shiko stated.

"Chores?" The lost boy asked.

"Now that you're part of our family they'll make you do chores."

The lost boy looked puzzled but said nothing. He listened to the distant river. It calmed him immensely. He was no longer afraid or anxious. He smiled lightly and his eyes half closed. He felt like sleeping again, but Shiko shook him.

"Come on!" Shiko said and he began running in a different away. "Catch me if you can!" He called.

It was a 'game' as Shiko called them. Shiko would run until he could catch him and then the lost boy would run from Shiko. Sometimes Shiko would try to hide and then the lost boy could never find him. Shiko knew all the good hiding spots.

When the boys got hungry they found their way back to house. Sera was waiting for them with lunch. The lost boy sniffed the air and smiled. He knew that Sera had made bread. He liked to smell things. It was almost like knowing something before he actually found out. The two boys sat down to eat and they both ravenously ate their lunch. Afterward Shiko made that strange sound with his mouth that Sera always scolded him for.

"Are your chores done yet Shiko?" Sera asked him.

Shiko smiled and Sera sighed.

"Go help your father." She ordered and sighed.

"Come on Atri," Shiko said.

Sera crossed her arms and looked at the two strangely.

"Atri?" She asked both of them.

The lost boy looked confused and Shiko looked excited.

"That's what I'm going to call him until he remembers his name." Shiko explained.

The lost boy pondered the word. Atri. Was that his name before? Was that really his name now? Would it be different to have a name? Atri. Could he really be Atri? He wanted a name. It was the one thing that everything had; from the 'rock' to 'tasting' to Shiko. Everything had a name-- everything except him.

"Shiko, you should ask him if he's all right with the name first." Sera scolded.

"Oh right, sorry," Shiko apologized.

Shiko looked at the boy who was pondering the name.

"Is it all right if I give you a nickname?" Shiko asked sincerely.

"Nick-name?" The boy asked confused.

"Yah, something I call you that doesn't have to be your real name." Shiko explained.

That was it. That was the solution. He wasn't losing his original name! He was just letting Shiko call him something different because he couldn't remember his own. His name was still out there, but lost. He could be Atri and the person he didn't remember at the same time.

"Is it okay?" Shiko asked again.

Atri nodded.

* * *

_A/N: Two months! Sorry! Life just got REALLY REALLY complicated. Back to Phindar!_


	17. 17

17

* * *

"_Startled, Qui-Gon lost his focus for an instant. There was only one person to whom that lightsaber could belong. 'And where is your new apprentice?' Xanatos sneered."_

* * *

Mali fidgeted like a nervous child about to be punished. His mind was still faraway and his eyes wandered to the spot where his coworkers were slain. They were a team. He may not have liked them all the time, but they were a team! Bervic may have been a little too zealous when renewing people, but he did his job. He had a gambling problem. He wasn't evil! Shirk may not have been winning a humanitarian award anytime soon, but he was a good Phindian. Mali's son Trada treated him like an uncle. What would Trada think? Oh hells, what would Trada think of him?

"Mali! Mali!" The human snapped. "I need you to stay focused."

Weutta killed them. Weutta killed his friends. They weren't evil! They were just doing a job so they could feed their families and themselves. If you weren't with the Syndicat you were crushed by it. Is it wrong to want a good life without fear? They were just regular Phindians. It's not fair!

"MALI! Where is the boy?" The human asked.

Mali looked at the tall sturdy man in front of him. Every molecule of him screamed 'dangerous' to Mali. This man just lost his son. Mali renewed this man's son and left him to die on a planet. He placed bets on how long the boy would survive. What if it had been Trada? Would he bet on his own son's life? The thought of Trada being renewed filled Mali with a sickening dread. If Mali and the human's roles had been reversed the human wouldn't be standing. Even if he was weaker he would have at least tried. The human did not do this.

Mali was terrified. The man was intense. He didn't seem angry—just intense. His eyes were boring into him and if Mali looked really close the man was barely trembling like he couldn't contain himself. His son… His son! The boy was probably dead. No one lasted this long. How long had it been? He couldn't remember at the moment…No one lasted that long, especially if the probot was destroyed. All signs pointed to the boy being dead. Mali couldn't tell the father… No, he couldn't do that!

"_Mali, I just need a planet. That's all I need!_" The human practically screamed.

Mali looked away and shuddered. He couldn't deal with this right now. The boy was dead. He had to see Trada. He had to see if he was all right.

"Stop Jedi-Gon!" A Phindian shouted and there was a scuffle.

Mali didn't move. It wasn't his fault. He was just doing a job. It was his job! He heard a slight hissing sound and Mali looked up from the ground. The first thing he saw was a beautiful blade of green light. It shimmered and Mali was transfixed on the shaft of light. The room was completely silent except for the slight humming of the light device. Mali then looked up at the human. His pale face was completely expressionless. His eyes were still staring at Mali with their fierce intensity. The glow from the green light reflected on the human's face and for a split second Mali caught sight of something that chilled him to his core. It was desperation.

The two stared at each other for an intimately long time. Mali was the first to break the gaze and looked back at his hands. He heard another hissing noise and looked up to see the green light disappear. He heard the other Phindians sigh. The human stalked off in a hurry and Mali listened to the rapidly retreating footsteps.

"Jedi-Gon!" A voice called after him.

One of the Phindians raced after him. Mali closed his eyes again and rested his head in his hands. The human must have understood. He must know that the boy was dead. He had seen the footage from the probot before it was destroyed. He had paid Bervic and Shirk for loosing the bet. The human must have understood! Weutta had ordered all 'incriminating evidence' destroyed. As far as the records on Phindar show the boy did not exist. That man's son had never existed.

* * *

"Wait, Jedi-Gon!" Guerra called.

Qui-Gon did not slow his pace nor acknowledge the Derida brother behind him. He did not know where he was going and he did not care. All he knew was that he had to be _moving_. He couldn't sit and wait like everyone was telling him to. Force! He had even told himself to wait and make sure the planet was stable. What was he thinking? Qui-Gon stopped in a dark room and leaned against a smooth wall. Guerra came jogging in the room and stopped as abruptly as Qui-Gon had. He bent over to catch his breath and Qui-Gon listened to the heavy breathing in silence.

"Jedi-Gon—"Guerra began but then stopped.

Qui-Gon came to full attention and tried to pierce the darkness of the room with his eyes. It was cold in the room and the Jedi Master felt nauseated for some unknown reason. He winced and looked at Guerra. The Phindian's orange eyes looked eerie in the gloom. Qui-Gon's hands blindly groped the wall for some sort of power switch for the lights. His attention was firmly on Guerra and did not waver. Guerra shivered and took a few steps forward.

Obi-Wan had mentioned Guerra had spent much time in the Bandomeer mines. Perhaps his sight in the dark was better than his own. Qui-Gon reached out with the Force, but felt no life signatures save his own and Guerra's. There was something ominous in the air. It whispered and flitted about the room like a shadow. The Jedi's other hand reflexively made its way towards his lightsaber. His fingers barely brushed Obi-Wan's unclaimed lightsaber and Qui-Gon immediately recoiled.

"What is it?" Qui-Gon asked, hoping for some clarity.

Qui-Gon's fingers finally found some sort of switch and he flicked it up. Overhead lights hummed as they stutteringly came to life. Their sickly fluorescent glow flickered on and off. The Jedi and Phindian looked around the room until they spotted a copper heap in a corner. Qui-Gon felt a surge of adrenaline shoot through him and tried to still his body from shaking. The whispers turned to deafening shouts and they all screamed one name. _Obi-Wan_.

The Jedi Master ran towards the gleaming piece of copper. Guerra was right behind him. They stopped and bent down to get a better look. It was an innocuous looking droid with copper plating and wheels to help it move. It was offline. The pair knew immediately that it was the memory wipe droid. The Jedi Master looked with horror at this simple machine; this machine that had taken everything away from his padawan; this machine that looked like a normal droid… Qui-Gon reached out to touch it impulsively.

"Don't!" Guerra hissed, but Qui-Gon didn't listen.

The Jedi lightly grazed the droid with his fingers and closed his eyes.

_He felt extremely sick and the white light wouldn't go away from his closed eyes. A rough voice broke through his world of pain and bright light._

_"What is your name?" Someone asked._

_Obi-wan knew. He knew! They hadn't taken his name. They failed. He won! Didn't he?_

_"Obi-Wan Kenobi. " Obi-wan said defiantly. _

_The guards looked at each other and shook their heads._

_"My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi." Obi-wan said as loud as he could._

Qui-Gon jerked back in surprise and in horror. His whole body convulsed as if an electric current went through it and was hurled away from the droid. The Jedi Master didn't even try to get back up. He could vaguely hear Guerra calling his name, but Qui-Gon didn't respond. Obi-Wan had been here. This is where they destroyed his padawan.

"Jedi-Gon! Are you all right?" Guerra asked in a panic.

If the Jedi closed his eyes he could almost see Obi-Wan still strapped to that copper droid. Residual pain flared in his Master-padawan bond. The boy had been so afraid. Jedi were taught not to be afraid. It was one of the lessons Yoda imparted himself to each and every initiate. Obi-Wan had faced down evil and corruption without flinching. In front of this memory-wipe machine he had let the fear consume him.

'_Your precious new padawan failed you even now_.'

Qui-Gon shut out the inner voice. Obi-Wan did not fail him. There wasn't enough time… The boy had a right to be afraid. On the pier on Bandomeer his apprentice showed no signs of fear. Obi-Wan was destined to be a Jedi.

'_You said the same of Xanatos_.'

Qui-Gon tried to move, but his limbs were strangely unresponsive.

"Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon whispered.

"Jedi-Gon! I think the droid was rigged." Guerra said.

Qui-Gon half listened and concentrated on the image of his padawan being renewed. He had fought like a Jedi. He believed he had defeated the memory wipe droid. What happened? Obi-Wan was gifted in the Force and very strong willed. He had so much promise…

"…When you touched it. Yes so. It short-circuited." Guerra said.

Short circuited? That would make sense. It would explain the partial paralysis and the huge shock he received. Qui-Gon groaned as he tried to get back up. Guerra helped him with up with his long powerful arms. The two looked at the droid again. It looked pathetic. How could something so pathetic destroy so many people's lives?

"Get Mali in here, now." Qui-Gon ordered emotionlessly.

Guerra left without question or protest. Qui-Gon glared at the droid. There was no question that it had to be destroyed—dismembered for all to see. There might be a way to reverse the renewing process and if there was Qui-Gon couldn't pass up the opportunity to find out.

The group of Phindians walked into the room a moment later. Mali still had that dazed expression as his feet plodded along. Qui-Gon didn't need to look back at them to know this. He heard the slight scuffling of Mali and the calculated steps of the others. The Jedi Master was still dazed a little from the shock of the droid and seeing the vision of Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon stood up when the others were within feet of him. The two brothers exchanged a look and the other Phindians looked a little anxious. Mali had his gaze firmly planted on the floor.

"Mali, look up." Qui-Gon commanded.

The Phindian slowly looked up from the ground to Qui-Gon's fiercely stoic face. His gaze then darted to the droid in the corner. His dazed expression transformed into a look of fear. He tried to back up but the other Phindians held him in place.

"Is there any way to reverse the renewing process?" Qui-Gon asked crisply.

Mali shook his head and tried to look away again. Qui-Gon's heart fluttered a bit. It couldn't just be as final as that head shake. This was Obi-Wan! There still had to be some sort of chance for his padawan.

"Why not?" Guerra asked.

"You can't just take something like memories and give them back just as easily. The shear amount of data that resides in one mind is too much to store. We don't even bother trying to save it. We wipe them clean and that's it."

Anger rose darkly in Qui-Gon and he stifled the urge to hit Mali. Qui-Gon took a few cleansing breaths and forced himself to realize that he was not angry at the Phindian. It was not his fault that Obi-Wan was lost.

"Why would you design something and have no way to reverse the process?" The Jedi asked.

"I didn't design it!" Mali practically screamed in desperation. "I was just doing my job! I don't know how it works or why anyone would want to get it to work. I just do what I'm told!"

"Where would the galaxy be if everyone lied down and 'did what they're told'? We'd still be under the Syndicat, watching them as they destroy everything that is good about this planet." Paxxi said in an unexpected fit of anger and eloquence.

"We do things because they are the right thing to do." Guerra finished.

Qui-Gon smiled ironically. This was a strange lecture on right and wrong coming from two thieves. How had they changed so much? When Obi-Wan had first described Guerra Qui-Gon had been reluctant to see any redeeming qualities in him. His padawan had shown a keen insight into the living force or it was a lucky guess.

"Turn it on," Qui-Gon said.

"What?" Guerra and Paxxi asked together.

"I can't!" Mali said.

Qui-Gon folded his arms and looked as intimidating as possible. Mali shrunk under the Jedi's scrutiny, but made no move to turn the droid on.

"Do it." Qui-Gon said darkly.

"It's broken!" Mali shrieked. "Weutta ordered us to destroy it!"

"_Now_." Qui-Gon said dangerously.

Mali went up to the droid and activated a switch. A strange whirring sound began and Qui-Gon could smell burning wires. Mali removed his hand as an electric current went all around the droid. The group took a reflexive step back. The whirring progressed into a high pitched whining and the smell of burning became stronger. The group shielded themselves as a small explosion rocked the room. The group reopened their eyes and looked at the charred body of the memory-wipe droid. Silence descended upon the room. Smoke rose in a misty spiral from the blackened body.

"We overloaded it so if anyone tried to access the droid it would self-destruct." Mali said in an abnormally calm way.

Qui-Gon clenched his teeth and took a deep breath. Mali did not look afraid anymore. The Jedi could not decide if this was a good or bad thing.

"It can't help you anyway," Mali said. "Renewal can't be reversed."

"Have you even tried?" Paxxi asked while narrowing his eyes.

"Yes, it's been attempted before. I told you, it doesn't work!" Mali shot back.

Qui-Gon looked away and rubbed his temples. Mali was getting angry—definitely not a good thing. He needed to appeal to Mali's compassion. It was difficult. This Phindian had renewed Obi-Wan and would not tell him where he was sent. The galaxy was immense and easy to get lost in.

The Phindians were arguing and Qui-Gon was developing a severe headache. Phindar didn't need anymore arguments right now and neither did he. The Jedi pondered whether he should use the Force to find out where they sent Obi-Wan. No, the living Force was telling him to use other means. There was no doubt Qui-Gon would be able to get the information he needed, but it wasn't the right thing to do. His ethics prevented him from doing so.

"Stop." Qui-Gon commanded.

The group silenced immediately. Paxxi and Guerra were glaring unequivocally at Mali who was twitching slightly and his face was a mask. The Jedi Master found himself exhausted. What was another day anyway? Either the boy was dead by now or had found a way to survive. Qui-Gon hoped for the latter.

"Go home Mali," The Jedi Master said sadly. "Go back to your family."

"But Jedi-Gon!" Paxxi and Guerra exclaimed.

Qui-Gon silenced them with a wave of his hand. They gave him a strange look, but did as he asked. Mali's mask broke a bit and for a brief second Qui-Gon saw the guilt he knew was there. They had backed him into a corner and he fought back. The group left a path open for Mali and Mali began to walk away. As he passed Qui-Gon the Jedi Master put a hand on his shoulder. Mali stopped and looked into the Jedi's eyes.

"I just want to find him," Qui-Gon said.

Mali looked away.

"He's gone," The Phindian said and left.

The group watched him go and Qui-Gon felt a strange feeling in the back of his throat. Mali wasn't going to tell him. His padawan was _gone_. Even if he found the boy it would only be a shell or a body. He didn't think he could deal with either.

"Why are you letting him go Jedi-Gon?" Guerra asked with incredulity.

"He'll come around." Qui-Gon said. "He's not going to go anywhere."

"Obawan is still alive Jedi-Gon. We know this." Paxxi affirmed.

Qui-Gon rested his hand on Obi-Wan's lightsaber. Would he ever give the symbolic weapon back to whom it belonged? Only a Jedi could wield one. What if Obi-Wan could never relearn the ways of the Force? What if he was corrupted by the Dark side without even knowing it? That all depended on if Obi-Wan was even alive…

"I know he is," Qui-Gon lied.

* * *

"What are the polls saying?" Beju asked into his comlink.

"_It seems you are more popular off world than on my prince._" The voice answered back.

"What is the opposition saying?"

"_They're spinning it as you do more for other worlds than his majesty's own._"

"Do we have a response?"

Beju began to pace around in his room with his comlink in hand. It had been a long day and now that it was dark he was finally resting. He was sore and dirty but he needed to be linked with the outside world. His campaign wasn't going to run itself.

"_We are working diligently on one now my prince._"

"Tell them a stable Phindar will contribute to the overall stability of the system and thus help Gala. Besides, this Syndicat was using Phindar as a stepping stone to take control of our planet."

"_Brilliant as always my prince._"

"Contact me later with the new poll results and if they catch the bastard that took my ship!"

"_As you command_."

Beju put away his comlink and heaved a big sigh. He was sore all over his body and his shoulder felt like it was on fire. Blaster wounds were tricky. Beju found a dirty mirror on the wall and tried to examine the wound. This was the price he paid. He rubbed his temples and wished he was back at the palace in Galu. Anything seemed better than this. The things he had to do just to get a few votes… It was beginning to wear on him. It was the reason he came to Phindar and tried to make a deal with Baftu in the first place. It should be his by right! If he won, was this how it was always going to be? No, he was going to reestablish the monarchy. There would be no democracy to deal with.

Beju had a bad feeling about the election in general and he was nervous about ruling a planet. The one person he could ask about it was the only person he didn't want to ask. Why had his mother done this? How could she doubt her son so much as to deny him the throne? Beju turned away from the mirror angrily, but regretted it as a lance of pain went up his shoulder. She was dying. Every day she got weaker and weaker and now she would leave her only son with nothing—No throne, no family, nothing.

"How is your shoulder?" A soft voice asked from behind.

Beju turned around to see Qui-Gon Jinn observing him from the doorway. The Galacian prince gently touched his injury and winced.

"A little sore," Beju admitted.

The Jedi Master chuckled slightly and motioned for the prince to sit down.

"I got you a little Bacta," Qui-Gon said.

Prince Beju laughed and then stopped and held his shoulder. He shook his head and smiled at the Jedi Master.

"When I came here to get the Bacta I never thought I'd need it myself." He admitted.

"And when I was on my way to Gala I never thought I'd be sidetracked here." Qui-Gon said with a slight smile.

"You are the Jedi that my mother sent for?" The prince asked skeptically. "She said there were _two_ coming. Where is the other one?"

Qui-Gon's breathing hitched slightly and the thickness in his throat came back.

"Have you heard about renewing?" Qui-Gon asked silently.

"Yes, it's terrible. I would have never tried to make a deal with the Syndicat if I knew about _that_." Beju said with a grimace.

"My apprentice was renewed." Qui-Gon said.

"Oh…"

Beju was silent for a long time and looked away from the powerful man. The sounds of the night came into the room and filled the silence.

"I'm sorry," Beju said sincerely.

Qui-Gon was again impressed at the transformation that he was seeing in the young prince. The prince was not pretending to care. Beju was completely different than Obi-Wan, but he kept seeing his padawan in place of the prince. Perhaps it was just wishful thinking.

"It's not your fault," Qui-Gon said.

"Is there something I can do?" The prince asked earnestly.

"Not yet," Qui-Gon answered with a sigh.

* * *

_A/N: Okay okay okay. This chapter is pretty pointless… Wow. Nothing happened. Sorry for making you wait so long for nothing! I'll try to get the next one up ASAP. There's no excuse for not writing… Except maybe the ADD version of writer's block. Feel free to shoot me at any time!_


	18. 18

18

* * *

"_Not everyone is meant to be a warrior. The Republic needs healers and farmers too. With your Force skills, you will be able to treat sick crops. Your talents will help feed whole worlds."_

* * *

"Come on Atri!" Shiko called out as he ran across the golden fields.

"Shiko!" Avlo scolded. "Watch it, you might break the stalks!"

Atri walked by Avlo's side and looked in wonder at the growing field around him. The golden fronds had captivated him since his first day with Avlo and his family. Atri reached out to touch them and they tickled his hand. Sometimes when there was this strange force on them they would bend back and forth. This force also pushed against his skin but he did not sway back and forth. They must be more sensitive to the force than Atri was. When Atri asked about it once Shiko had called it 'wind'. It was a simple name for something so incomprehensible to the boy. The name should be powerful yet light as if it could move anywhere and do anything it wanted. When the flying animals (whom Atri found out were really birds) tried to fly in the air and this wind was present they were pushed back and there were times when the wind helped them fly where they wanted. It sometimes even pushed the white parts of the sky away.

Atri knew that names were very important. He still didn't know his real name, but he liked being called Atri. Who named the wind? Who named anything? Shiko told him that he got his name from his mom and dad. Where did the wind and sky get their names from? Who were their parents? Who were Atri's parents?

"Atri, Atri look." Avlo said and shook the boy gently.

Atri looked up at the large Galacian man. The light rays of the sun partially obscured his vision and made Avlo look as golden as the fields he owned. The man smiled and held a small piece of the golden field in his hand. It was small and Atri was intrigued by it. Avlo put the golden piece in the boy's hand and Atri looked at it with fascination.

"It's so small," Atri murmured aloud.

From afar the field had looked like one single entity. It was large and it stretched off into the distance. Now he held a part of it in his hand. How could that be? Was the field any less without this one piece? If it was Atri could not notice.

"Isn't it wonderful?" Avlo said with a smile. "It looks so small and unimportant by itself, but when it is with the rest of the wheat it is large and beautiful."

Atri let the wind take the severed wheat and it blew it off into the distance. Soon it was lost to the golden field. Atri stood in stunned silence.

"All of this," Avlo motioned towards the field. "Grew from small seeds. They grow bigger and then they leave small seeds of their own. I grow it and then harvest it so that others can make food out of it."

"Boring…" Shiko drawled.

Atri was fascinated. This field was made into food for others to eat? He pondered this in his head for awhile. That meant that Avlo was actually feeding his planet by growing it. He knew that people needed food to survive. Shiko had told him this. Atri's awe for Avlo grew at this new discovery.

"Most farmers—"

"What's a farmer?" Atri immediately asked.

Avlo laughed. The normally silent boy had begun not only to ask Shiko questions but him as well. He didn't mind; not yet anyway.

"A farmer is someone, like me, that grows plants that can be food instead of just buying them at the market."

"All of them grow _this_?" Atri asked pointing at the golden field.

Shiko and Avlo laughed together and Atri smiled at their mirth. He felt a _rightness_ about their joy. He could not explain it. It was one of those _feelings_ that he didn't ask about.

"No Atri, some grow the same as I do, but many others do not attempt it. It is very difficult to grow in this climate. The sun doesn't shine bright enough, as they say."

"My Dad is the best farmer on Gala!" Shiko said proudly and vehemently.

Avlo swelled with pride and ruffled Shiko's hair.

"My father owned this farm, and his father owned it and so on for many generations," Avlo explained. "I may not know as much as scholars or these politicians that Tiku looks up to, but I know this and that's enough."

Atri looked back at the field of gold and was in awe at how Avlo was able to help this beautiful field that somehow fed people grow to what it was. What could be greater or more beneficial than this?

"Most farmers care most about harvest-time because that is when they finally benefit from all of their hard work. Farmers only get paid once a year you know… But my favorite is the start of the new season when you have to replant. Everything grows and you have to pay extra attention to it because it is so fragile and new. It's in those first few weeks that the strength of the crop will be revealed. Farmers only plant by season and they forget that it's the most important part."

Avlo and Shiko then took Atri towards the house to a secluded section. As Atri got closer he was barraged with a strange sensation. This place was _alive_! As he immersed his senses in it he could almost hear the place whispering to him. There were different colored plants that sprawled over the ground in various sizes. Atri almost ran to look at them more closely. He delicately touched one and was surprised by its softness and vibrancy. He smiled at it and its sheer amount of life.

"What is it called?" Atri asked, mesmerized.

"It's a flower!" Shiko answered.

"Flower…" Atri repeated as he did with all new words he learned.

"They all have their own names," Avlo said. "But they are all flowers."

Shiko joined Atri and started pointing out all the flowers and their names. Atri tried to keep track of them all, but there were so many.

"This is me and my dad's garden." Shiko said with his usual enthusiasm.

"Garden…" Atri repeated.

"Yes, a place where flowers grow." Avlo elaborated.

"Do you eat these too?" Atri asked.

Shiko laughed and Avlo smiled broadly. Atri usually took laughing as a 'no' to his questions. He didn't understand why they seemed to amuse Shiko and Avlo so much, but at least he got good feelings from the laughs and not bad ones. There were times when he asked the Galacian Kiban a question and he laughed, but it was different. Atri always got a different feeling when Kiban was around. He didn't like it. Avlo must feel it too, because he clearly didn't like Kiban.

"Shiko, teach Atri how you plant one." Avlo suggested.

Shiko sprang to animated life and grabbed Atri's hand. He led Atri further into the garden and Atri could feel his friend's excitement. He felt excited as well, but he didn't know why. Soon they stopped in front of some dirt and Shiko became calm and composed. Atri noted this strange occurrence. Shiko was extremely concentrated as he took a small round object in his hand. He gave the small object to Atri and the boy looked at the tiny thing in his palm. What was this? Shiko took another one and kneeled down in the dirt. He took a blunted-blade object and started digging into the ground. He set the digging tool aside and then gently placed the round object in the ground.

"What…?" Atri began, but Shiko shook his head.

Avlo's son buried the object with dirt again and then sprinkled a little water on it. He patted the ground gently and closed his eyes. Avlo hunched down on the ground and sat next to Shiko and Atri. He put a large hand on Atri's shoulder.

"Do you see what you are holding Atri? That's a seed. It's going to turn into one of those orange and pink flowers." Avlo said.

Atri looked back and forth between what he held in his palm and the exotic flower. How could that be? They were so different. How could this seed be that flower? Atri's face broke into an abysmal blankness. It didn't make sense! How could something change that much? The boy searched for answers in his own mind, but there was only the all consuming nothing that he strove to fill up. The lost boy began to breathe erratically. His eyes looked terrified, but his face betrayed nothing.

"Atri?" One of them asked.

That wasn't even his name! He wanted to know his name! Why did everything have their own name and not him? Even all of the flowers had their own names! Why did a seed become a flower? Why did it become that particular flower? He knew things, but he didn't know why they happened. Something was missing that he needed. He knew it was there, but he wanted to understand it! He wanted to know what it was! It was in the seed and it was in Shiko and Avlo. It was in _everything_.

"Atri, now you try." He heard Avlo's gentle voice and it broke him out of his blank terror.

He saw Avlo and Shiko smiling at him and gently urging him to put the seed into the ground. Atri held off the abyss of endless questions and took up the digging tool. He began to dig into the dirt and he felt better.

"Not too deep," Avlo instructed.

Once the hole was about the same size as Shiko's had been Atri carefully set the digging tool down. He gently put the seed in the hole and covered it with soil. Shiko handed him a strange can with a strange extension coming out of it. Atri looked inside and saw water sloshing around. He gently tipped the can over as he had seen Shiko do it and tiny streams of water sprinkled out of it.

It was so simple and yet so integral to everything. The lost boy couldn't begin to describe what he felt all around him. It stretched out in the ground and into all the flowers. It was even in him and he felt _connected_ with everything. He liked it. He liked it a lot.

"I think maybe you can understand why Shiko and I enjoy this so much," Avlo commented.

Atri didn't say anything because he couldn't. The place held him and he was almost lost in it—immersed in it. If he could just reach out a little farther maybe he would be able to understand… but he couldn't and the feeling dissipated away. He felt a strange sense of loss, but he was not sad.

"Come on, Atri, I'll show you the rest!" Shiko said excitedly.

* * *

The boy was a natural at farming and gardening. If Avlo didn't know any better he would say that the boy's presence was making the plants and crops grow faster. The best part for Avlo was that Atri really enjoyed it. He was given chores like Shiko and when Shiko saw how much enthusiasm Atri had in doing them he emulated that enthusiasm and his chores were getting done as well. Avlo was happy. He never remembered being this happy since Shiko was born. His family was complete. 

There were shadows in the distance though. The first and most troubling was Keta. He didn't understand why she wanted to leave so much. He had striven his whole life to give his children a good life. His father had done the same thing. Keta was not grateful for this—far from it. She resented it. Avlo's insides curdled as he thought of her 'mentor' Kiban. He unequivocally _hated_ the man, but he could not send him away. It was the only person Keta would accept and Avlo would not deny his only daughter what she wanted.

The second trouble on Avlo's mind was his eldest son Tiku. He was an adult now and he had absolutely no interest in becoming a farmer. He enjoyed the nuances of this election though. Avlo snorted. Tiku was too good a man to be a politician. Perhaps that's what Gala needed. It was still disappointing that his first born would stray so far away from what his father did

The last and probably most pressing was Atri. The boy was becoming part of the family. Even Sera accepted it. Shiko adored him and treated him like a younger brother (even if he was quite a few years older). The boy brought out a gentle nature in his whole family. Even Tiku was fond of him and tried endlessly to teach the boy about the election. Avlo laughed. Atri just didn't understand or didn't want to. He couldn't blame him. Keta said he was 'cute'. He was part of the family, but there were some times when the boy seemed so distant… He still hadn't remembered anything of his past life which was troubling. Avlo had this strange fear that the boy's father was going to show up one day and take him away.

Avlo didn't know if he could accept that.

* * *

Shiko and Atri had the rest of the day to do with as they pleased, but what they really wanted to do was eat something. Dinner time was, unfortunately, far off and they knew that Sera's soft spot for Atri was rapidly turning into the love she bore for all her children. This was extremely unfortunate for both Shiko and Atri who could no longer get away with anything. This did not stop them, however. 

"She's gone Atri! Now all you have to do is reach up into that cupboard—"

"What's a cupboard?" Atri asked immediately.

"_That!_" Shiko whispered as he heard a sound. "It's where all the snacks are!"

"Cupboard…" Atri repeated and Shiko hissed for silence.

The footsteps were becoming nearer and nearer and the two boys tensed. They were caught! They didn't know whether to run or take their chances. They sighed in relief as Tiku came walking into the kitchen instead of Sera.

"Atri, just the person I was looking for!" Tiku exclaimed. "I need to ask what you think about—"

"He doesn't like election-stuff!" Shiko said, haughtily.

"That's because you tell him not too!" Tiku shot back.

"No!" Shiko drawled immaturely.

Atri smiled on the inside and watched the two brothers interact.

"He looks about eight years older than you Shiko, I'm sure he wants to learn more about the world than just causing trouble and eating snacks." Tiku said with a smug smile.

"I like snacks." Atri commented.

"He's not eight years older than me! He's thirteen!" Shiko said with an equally smug smile.

"Oh how do you know?" Tiku asked.

"I just do okay? He's thirteen!"

"Thirteen what?" Atri asked.

"With that height? He's got to be sixteen!" Tiku shot back.

"Sixteen what?" Atri asked again, but was being ignored.

"Even if he was, _which he's not_, he wouldn't be interested in your boring elections!"

"How do you know? It's fascinating to people taller than you!"

"I'm not short!" Shiko said and punched Tiku in the gut.

Atri's eyes flashed and he couldn't help the fear that raced through him. He had seen this sort of, as Shiko called it, brotherly affection before but it always scared him. His first memories were that of pain. He didn't tell any of the others of these memories. Those were the only memories he tried _not_ to remember. Sometimes he could believe that he lived his before life with Avlo and his family, but it wasn't true.

"Is that all you got, little man?" Tiku asked.

Soon Shiko was raining blows on Tiku who was blocking them with ease. Atri had to turn away even if he wasn't getting any negative feelings from the pair. He didn't know what he would do if Shiko decided to hit him like he hit Tiku. The very thought filled him with terror and he fled the room. He heard the sounds of Shiko's laugher echo from the kitchen. He didn't understand, but he accepted.

He wandered around the house until he found Keta and Kiban silently talking to each other. They always spoke in whispers. The pair didn't see him and Atri felt a shiver go up his spine. Atri hid behind the partially open door and listened and watched them. He didn't know why he was compelled to do this, but he felt it was the right thing to do. The way that Kiban watched Keta was…wrong. The whole situation was _wrong_. Atri couldn't hear what they were saying, but he watched them intently. Their faces were close to hear the other's muted whispering and Kiban reached out and grabbed Keta's hand. She gripped it and looked away. The wrong feeling convalesced in the pair's presence and Atri felt cold all over.

He had a bad feeling about this.

"Atri!" He heard Shiko call loudly.

Keta and Kiban immediately pulled their hands apart and Keta looked in her books and scribbled some notes furiously. Their eyes darted to the partially open doorway. Atri remained unseen. He looked behind and saw Shiko heading in his general direction. He slowed and became quieter as he saw Atri's crouched position. Shiko was notorious for spying on other people. He took a peek inside the room and rolled his eyes.

"Keta is so boring. Let's go do something fun!" He whispered.

Atri let himself be dragged away from the scene and the bad feelings. As he got farther away the feelings eventually subsided, but he couldn't quite get rid of the scene in his mind. There was something important about that little exchange, but as with many things he did not understand.

* * *

_A/N: Hey, faster than last time. Show of hands: who wants Qui-Gon to actually get to Gala?_


	19. 19

19

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"_They would stride towards a future, forged from their shared past. Qui-Gon put a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder and rested it there._

'_We'd better pack,' He said quietly. 'We have a long way to go.'"_

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Fourteen days. It had been fourteen days since Qui-Gon had last seen his padawan. Creating a stable Phindar was more difficult than he had first imagined it would be. Perhaps if his padawan were here it would take less time, but he made do with what he had. Each day that passed by Qui-Gon threw himself into helping the Phindians and each night he hoped he would be too exhausted to think of his missing apprentice. It was foolish and it didn't work. Qui-Gon constantly searched the newly formed bond he and Obi-Wan had created but there was nothing. He didn't even know if the boy was dead or alive. There was simply nothing—like the bond hadn't been formed in the first place.

Phindar was in much better shape. The marketplace was filled with food and seemingly happy Phindians. Most of them were still in shock at the abrupt change, but it was a good change and they would get used to it soon. In the center of the market place was a monument. Qui-Gon shivered as he looked at it. Paxxi and Guerra had destroyed the memory wipe droid in a fit of anger. Qui-Gon felt tempted to use his lightsaber on the hated droid, but decided to let the Derida brothers do it themselves. The useless scraps of the droid were mounted and displayed for everyone to see. Most people stopped to look at it for a second and then fled, some stared at it for hours on end. The renewed didn't even glance at it. They did not remember.

Qui-Gon couldn't help staring at it. How could this pathetic piece of scrap take such a promising boy from the Jedi—from him? It was just a machine after all. It could not be truly blamed as a blaster could not be blamed for the death that it caused. It was only a tool. Qui-Gon still hated it though. He hated it more than he hated those that used it. They were nameless and faceless. They were like Mali, simply doing their job. He couldn't even find anymore anger for Mali and he knew in his heart that Mali would never tell him where Obi-Wan was. In time he would force himself to forget that lost human boy and where he had left him to live or to die.

Prince Beju was content to blame the whole situation of Phindar on Baftu. Qui-Gon wasn't sure if Beju was more outraged at the situation on Phindar or the fact that Baftu stole his ship. It probably didn't matter that much. Prince Beju was determined to bring Baftu to justice (and to get his ship back). This made many Phindians happy and they did not doubt the Prince's sincerity. The Phindians didn't entirely forget Prince Beju's original intentions, but they easily forgave him. The Prince soaked it up like a sponge and he looked happy. He still complained about the conditions he was 'forced to endure', but it was not a reflection of the boy's unhappiness or displeasure. He laughed often and Qui-Gon wished it was his padawan's laughter that echoed in his ears.

Qui-Gon sensed a heavy burden in the boy though. It was a burden he was not sharing with anyone else. Despite the arrogant face he presented for the world Beju was very compassionate towards people he loved or respected. The problem was that Beju didn't respect many people… A small smile lit Qui-Gon's face. He didn't know what Beju's destiny was, but he was sure it was going to be interesting.

Paxxi and Guerra finally arrived and stood next to Qui-Gon. They stared at the monument in silence. So many had been renewed--their sister Terra, their friend Nivva, _Obi-Wan_. They were not alone in their loss. Everyone had lost someone.

"Hope." Guerra finally spoke.

"Yes so, brother. Hope." Paxxi said with a smile.

"Any news on Terra?" Qui-Gon asked, turning to the brothers.

"No, we think she might've left the planet," Guerra said sadly. "Once she discovered the treasury was gone she disappeared."

"She'll come back," Paxxi said with certainty.

Guerra nodded and turned away from the monument.

"I only wish our mother was here to see it." Guerra said.

The brothers embraced in their traditional way by squeezing three times. Duenna's life had been lost trying to protect her daughter. She had spent years trying to remind her daughter of her life before renewal but ultimately failed. Duenna died to save her daughter, but her death could not bring her daughter back from the evil that had corrupted her.

Qui-Gon wished he could say something to comfort the brothers. He was usually very skilled at comforting those in need. Today he had no words. He was silent and still. The brothers relied on their hope, but Qui-Gon was losing his. The galaxy was vast. The odds were against his young padawan. Qui-Gon smiled sardonically. Since when did he believe in odds and luck?

The brothers were silent for a moment and then they let their grief pass into the air. It was rather surreal. Guerra and Paxxi were acting more like a Jedi than he was at the moment. Qui-Gon stood in silence and observed the two who had lost their entire family in the efforts to liberate their planet. These qualities were not exclusively Jedi traits. Qui-Gon Jinn wasn't much for history, but he did briefly wonder when the Jedi decided to incorporate these particular maxims into their creed. What made them believe that grief was an attachment? Was happiness or joy an equal attachment to be spurned?

Qui-Gon knew these were unwise thoughts to have at this particular time and tried to bury them for later. He had some serious meditating to do, but with Obi-Wan gone it was getting difficult to clear his mind. Having Xanatos come back into his life for a few days was enough, but loosing his new padawan shortly after? It was beyond cruel.

"Jedi-Gon, do not look so sad." Guerra said softly.

"Look at it," Paxxi said and gestured to the market-place.

Qui-Gon turned his eyes at the market and forced himself to see beyond his own anxiety of loosing Obi-Wan. The market was _alive_. The people were happy and everything was in abundance. They had done this. There was still an undercurrent of fear that wouldn't go away for awhile, but the people were happy. In a couple of years the memory of the Syndicat's dictatorial reign would be just that; a memory. This was Qui-Gon's life. He was a Jedi and this is what he did. Qui-Gon felt a tendril of serenity touch his mind.

Before Qui-Gon could say anything Kaadi came towards them with a big smile on her face. Guerra and Paxxi waved back and exchanged a mutual look of mischief.

"Kaadi! So nice to see you again!" Guerra began.

"Yes so, it is brother! We feared you died in the battle!"

Kaadi gave them an annoyed look and crossed her arms. She couldn't help the genuine smile that crossed her face.

"I've been busy!" She protested.

The three knew very well how busy Kaadi was. She had thrown herself into the planet's reconstruction with an almost fanatic determination. Qui-Gon had seen her everywhere in the city as she oversaw _everything_. It was rather amazing how much she wanted to help.

"Too busy for us?" Paxxi asked with a fake frown.

Kaadi laughed at his mournful expression and brought the two brothers into a hug. Qui-Gon wondered briefly how long the brothers had known Kaadi. Were they childhood friends or had the rebellion brought them together? He supposed it was unimportant at the moment.

"Never! I was hoping you two would rescue me from the council and their demands." Kaadi said thoughtfully.

In an effort to get the government restarted a provisional one was set up in which the last official governor of Phindar and any surviving council members would manage the planet until a new governor was elected. They seemed to be handling things wonderfully, but Qui-Gon suspected it was because of Kaadi's determination to make everything as it once was. In the few times he had seen her she had been on the tail of any council member who would listen (all of them did listen, Kaadi made sure of that!) and told them quite frankly what she wanted to see happen and how to get it. Elections for the new governor were to be held next month and Qui-Gon was sure Kaadi would run just to see that the job got done _right_.

"Dear Kaadi, they run away from _you_!" Paxxi exclaimed.

"Yes so!" Guerra exclaimed. "I see them always looking for a place to hide when you're near!"

Kaadi laughed and the brothers joined in the infectious laughter. It suddenly struck Qui-Gon that all three of them would have to find real jobs. They couldn't be thieves and rebels anymore. It would be a difficult transition for the brothers at least.

"Qui-Gon, you are so silent today!" Kaadi exclaimed.

"I get the honor of speaking with you much more than they do. I'm just letting them have their moment. Jedi are very selfless after all…" Qui-Gon joked.

"She's our friend first!" Guerra said smugly.

"So! She likes us better!" Paxxi reasoned.

The four burst out into fits of laughter and Qui-Gon was glad to hear other peals of laughter echo throughout the market. Once the laughter subsided the four looked up at the monument of the destroyed memory-wipe droid again.

"Are you really leaving Jedi-Gon?" Guerra asked.

"Yes, Guerra. I'm afraid I've stayed too long as it is." Qui-Gon managed to say.

"You'll come back to visit?" Paxxi asked.

"Not for awhile." The Jedi said truthfully.

"You'll tell us though right?" Kaadi asked with a strange pleading note in her voice. "When you find him."

Qui-Gon almost choked on his words. She didn't say '_if_' she said '_when_'. The Jedi didn't even know where to start looking. Mali wasn't going to tell him and as much as his heart was telling him to force the answers out of him he knew it led towards a dark path.

"Yes, of course." The Jedi Master managed.

"Obi-Wan is strong Jedi-Gon," Paxxi said.

"He'll remember something. Yes so. I know it." Guerra added.

"Thank you," Qui-Gon said sincerely.

Qui-Gon spied Prince Beju and the Galacian was heading in their direction. His pale blond hair gleamed in the sunlight and he walked with an air of someone completely in control of their destiny. His blue eyes lit up when he finally stopped in front of the gathering.

"I might actually have a chance!" Beju said with boyish enthusiasm. "I might win the election!"

Beju didn't waste time with elaborate greetings anymore. He was among friends. Guerra and Paxxi laughed again and lightly punched him on the shoulder. Beju unleashed his most imperious look on the brothers, but that only succeeded in making the brothers laugh harder.

"It's not as amusing as you obviously think it is." Beju said good naturedly.

The two brothers mocked a bow and Beju shook his head in exasperation. Qui-Gon smiled lightly and exchanged a look with Kaadi.

"Maybe when _you_ rule a planet you'll understand." Beju said. "Until then..."

Beju graced them with a mischievous and proud look, but broke down into a real smile when he couldn't hold it anymore. He was only a teenager after all.

"Maybe we will!" The brothers chorused.

"I could run for governor!" Paxxi shouted.

"Not so brother! Then you would have to walk around like this," Guerra said and imitated Prince Beju.

"I'm deeply wounded." Beju said sarcastically.

"Besides, if you ran then I would run as well and then you would loose…" Guerra said almost sadly.

"You would make such a terrible politician!" Paxxi yelled.

"You lie! I would be magnificent!"

"We shall run then and see!"

"Not so?" Kaadi asked, trying to mediate the situation.

"So!" Both brothers chorused.

"Then I'm afraid you _both_ are going to loose; to me!" Kaadi exclaimed.

The brothers faced their friend with gaping mouths and a mournful expression.

"But Kaadi, that's not fair!" Guerra whined.

"It's fair to the people of Phindar. I shudder to think what would happen if Phindar was left to the two of you…"

Beju laughed and grasped both of the brother's shoulders.

"There's no shame in admitting defeat." Beju offered sagely.

"That's real great coming from you." Kaadi said sarcastically and Beju only smiled.

"I stand before you a changed man." Beju said.

"Not so! You lie!" Guerra and Paxxi accused.

Prince Beju looked at Qui-Gon and a silent communication ran between the two. Beju had changed considerably in the past two weeks. So much so that Qui-Gon could hardly believe that the two extremes were the same person. Sometimes it took failure to force someone to find humility within themselves.

"Regardless," Beju said looking back and forth between the three Phindians. "There is honor in striving against a great opponent."

"Beju _is_ a great politician!" Guerra exclaimed and everyone laughed.

The group bantered a bit before they started walking towards the spaceport. A beautiful Galacian ship was waiting for Prince Beju. A royal escort stood at attention and many guards surrounded the ship in a flawless perimeter. Beju eyed it critically and crossed his arms. The spacecraft looked luxurious and expensive. Its design was sleek and beautiful. It exuded a fake sense of fragility coupled by an aerodynamic design.

"It'll do." Beju said.

The prince turned to face the four and inclined his head in a slight bow.

"It has been both my pleasure and honor to serve the world of Phindar." Beju said majestically. "I extend you the invitation to stay at my home at your leisure."

"Huh?" Paxxi asked his brother silently who just shrugged.

"Perhaps we will take you up on that offer Beju," Kaadi said.

Prince Beju smiled and then faced Qui-Gon. His blue eyes shone with respect and gratitude.

"Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, I owe you my life. Perhaps one day I will be able to repay this debt, but I know where I can start. You mentioned your wish to find your apprentice…" Beju trailed off.

"You owe me nothing Beju." Qui-Gon responded.

"Perhaps," Beju conceded. "But I can give you a place to start looking."

Qui-Gon looked at the prince inquisitively and waited for him to continue.

"Gala," He said simply. "If you are going to start you better start with planets in this system. I'll provide transportation, manpower, anything you need."

Qui-Gon had to admit that it was a logical place to start. Long journeys always began with a single step or so he heard Yoda say in his antimetabole way of speaking. Gala and then onwards until he found his apprentice… or gave up. If the search proved to be too long Qui-Gon was sure the Jedi Order would call him back to duty. Even the Jedi knew the futility of lost causes. Qui-Gon doubted that he would find Obi-Wan on Gala, but he had to try.

"I accept your offer," Qui-Gon said and bowed slightly in thanks.

"Excellent, the ship departs in ten minutes." Beju said and walked off imperiously to speak with his royal guard.

Kaadi, Guerra, and Paxxi gave him mournful looks.

"He doesn't leave much time to pack does he?" Guerra asked.

Qui-Gon laughed shortly at that. He had brought nothing to the planet besides himself and Obi-Wan. His hand strayed towards Obi-Wan's lightsaber that was clipped next to his. It brought him little comfort.

"Jedi-Gon, we are sorry you and Obawan had to sacrifice so much for us." Paxxi said sadly.

Guerra looked to be on the verge of tears and Qui-Gon put a comforting hand on his shoulder. His orange eyes were shiny with unshed tears and his face looked morose.

"It is all my fault," Guerra sobbed.

"Not so Guerra," Qui-Gon soothed.

Guerra looked up at Qui-Gon and wiped his eyes.

"There is nothing you could have done differently; nothing Obi-Wan would've done differently. This is the Will of the Force."

'_So not only are you lying to yourself, you are lying to them as well?_' The insidious voice asked. Qui-Gon clamped down on that familiar voice and concentrated on Guerra. He kept his emotions in tightly. He must let go of his grief as his Jedi doctrine taught him.

"The Force isn't fair to Obawan," Guerra said and Qui-Gon agreed.

"Can you both do one thing for me?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Anything Jedi-Gon," Paxxi said eagerly.

"Destroy the transfer-register. There is evil surrounding that device. I don't want any evil to come of his… sacrifice."

The brothers looked ashen at the request and hesitated. Qui-Gon closed his eyes in sadness. Sometimes greed was too powerful a force to ignore.

"Of course Jedi-Gon," They finally said.

Qui-Gon didn't know if he could believe them, but choose to. They would find another path in life besides their former life of crime. Their whole planet had changed and they could as well.

"I'm afraid I must say goodbye." Qui-Gon said sadly.

The three Phindians wrapped the Jedi in a silent hug and squeezed three times. It was one of the more painful farewells that Qui-Gon endured. He would definitely be leaving behind friends he may never see again.

"Goodbye," They each said and they parted.

As Qui-Gon turned to go towards Beju's ship Guerra reached out and stopped him. Qui-Gon looked at the young Phindian with curiosity. Guerra reached into his pocket and pulled something out. His hands shook slightly as he unveiled what he held. Qui-Gon took a step back involuntarily and crushed the sorrow that welled up within his heart. It was the river-stone he had given his padawan for his thirteenth birthday. Veins of red shone brilliantly in the sunlight on its smooth ebony surface.

"Where did—" Qui-Gon asked at a loss for words.

"When Obawan switched coats he left this," Guerra explained as he placed the stone into Qui-Gon's palm. "Make sure you give it back to him."

The Jedi's fingers curled over the stone and he bowed to Guerra deeply. His eyes were suspiciously shiny as he took the first step away from the Phindians. He caught up with the Galacian prince and they boarded the ship followed by the Royal Guard. As the two settled down for the ship to take off Qui-Gon uncurled his fingers to look at the stone once again. Beju caught eye of it and raised his eyebrows.

"Pretty rock," He commented.

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_A/N: I'm actually pretty proud of that chapter. My JA #3 book is totally thrashed after two years of constantly referring to it… Has it been that long? Man, I'm slow. I started this in May 2004. Mwhahah, you guys will further have to suffer my prolonged angst! Thanks for reviewing!_


	20. 20

20

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"_Inwardly Obi-Wan gave a sigh. Qui-Gon often told him reassuring news, only to contradict it in the next sentence. It was his way of telling Obi-Wan that situations were not fixed, but fluid."  
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Atri stared at the river. He closed his eyes and sat cross legged next to it. He listened to the slight rushing of water and felt the cool wind on his face. Atri had remarked that the air was different, but no one understood what he meant. Finally Shiko discovered that Atri was talking about the temperature and that it was getting colder. This led to a long explanation of the weather and the seasons which Atri tried to listen to, but it became too much for him. He didn't like changes in the environment around him. He liked constants. It was very soon that Atri found out that nothing was truly constant. This was one of the hardest things for him to accept. He stared at a rock. It didn't appear to be changing at all, but Atri looked deeper and deeper and he _felt_ it. It was breaking down into sand at a pace that was impossible to fathom.

Atri's eyes opened again and he was once again drawn to the river. There was something about the river that was familiar. If he concentrated long enough he could almost _remember_. He looked at the boy in the river that was always there when he was. Today he looked sort of sad and Atri wondered why. He waved and the boy waved back. He stared and stared but the boy would not speak to him.

"I wonder if you have a name." Atri said softly.

The boy's mouth moved but no words came out. Again the boy looked sad and Atri felt that sorrow with him.

"Do you remember anything?" Atri pondered as he picked up a wet rock in the stream. It was smooth and he ran his fingers over it.

The boy in the river drew his gaze again. Why couldn't he speak to him? Was he so far away? With his other hand Atri reached out to touch the boy, but he only touched the water. The water rippled and the boy was obscured. After a few seconds he came back with a confused expression on his face.

"Where are you?" Atri asked the boy. The boy didn't answer. He never did. Maybe he didn't know where he was. "That's all right," Atri soothed. "There are a lot of things I don't know either."

Both Atri and the boy smiled. Atri then began to speak to the boy in the river, telling him everything he knew. The boy moved his mouth but no words ever came out and Atri wondered if that boy could hear him either. How far away were they? He looked so close…

"Atri?" He heard a familiar voice call. "Who are you talking to?"

Atri looked away from the boy to see Sera looking at him with a strange look. Could she not see the boy in the river? Didn't she see? She kneeled next to Atri and looked to where he pointed. She looked puzzled for a second as she looked at the reflection of herself and Atri.

"He doesn't talk back to me," Atri admitted. "But I keep talking to him. He looks… _alone_."

Sera enclosed Atri in a tight embrace and whispered something comforting but unintelligible. Atri looked at her with confusion.

"Oh Atri, that's _you_." She breathed softly.

"What?" The boy asked as his eyes darted back to the boy in the river.

"That's _you_." She repeated. "It's your reflection."

"But… I'm me. That can't be me. I'm here." Atri tried to reason. His voice became softer and softer and his eyes looked lost.

"Look at me Atri," Sera smiled as Atri obeyed. "Now look at the river."

Atri looked and his eyes widened as he saw Sera next to the boy in the river. He looked back and forth between the two and his breath seized up in his throat. His body began to tremble slightly. How could she be here and in the river at the same time? The Sera in the river put a hand on the boy's shoulder and Atri nearly jumped when he felt that same hand on his shoulder. He looked closer and he soon began to see that the boy copied his moves exactly.

"You see? That's you." Sera said with a smile.

"H-how can that be me?" Atri stammered.

He was not accepting and moving on. He couldn't. That boy was not him. It couldn't be, could it?

"Sometimes we see ourselves in other things. Things that are shiny or clear like the water. We couldn't know who or what we are if we didn't see ourselves in other things or people." Sera said.

"T-t-that's not me," Atri shook his head and his throat began to hurt.

The boy backed as far away from the stream as he could and looked at the ground. His eyes began to sting and he knew he was crying. He was not afraid… He was not!

"Oh Atri, I know it's hard for you to accept. There is only one you; even if you can't remember who that is." Sera put her arm around the boy. "We all have reflections. Sometimes we don't want to see them, but they're still there just like we're still here. It'll never go away until you yourself are gone."

Atri sobbed quietly and Sera did what she could for him. She couldn't understand what upset the boy so much. She didn't know that Atri had not only lost his first friend but that he never existed. The boy in the probot had been the first person who didn't try to hurt him. That boy never really existed. It had been Atri all along.

"It's okay Atri, shhh." Sera soothed.

"That is me…" Atri admitted pitifully.

"Come on, I'll make you something to eat. It's almost lunch-time. How does that sound?" Sera said, hoping to make the boy feel better.

Atri made a sniffling sound and let Sera drag him to his feet. He looked blankly at his surroundings and let Sera guide him back to the house. He kept seeing the boy in the river—himself—and didn't believe. That was his reflection, but it didn't belong to him. It was the boy _before_. That was him wasn't it though? He was the same body so wasn't he the same? He couldn't remember… Who was he? Was he betraying his self _before _by being Atri, and if he wasn't Atri then who was he?

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"Atri," Keta called through the house.

Atri looked up from the hands he was examining and waited for Keta to find him. She always called out and then found him. She never waited for him to answer. It confused Atri a little so he just waited for her to find him. Atri looked at Keta's golden hair and touched his own. It was quite different and it amazed him every single time. Once he had touched her 'forbidden' hair and she became extremely angry. Atri couldn't figure out why the girl was so protective of her hair, but he learned never to try touching it again. Today her hair was in a single interwoven pattern that Keta called a braid. Atri had noticed that he had a smaller and messier version of a braid. He didn't understand its purpose. He never tried taking it out though. He wouldn't know how to braid it again if he did.

"Atri," She said once she found him sitting at the small table adjacent to the kitchen.

"Keta," Atri responded.

He didn't feel like talking to her right now. He usually got bad feelings around her and he didn't like it. He didn't get any bad feelings around the rest of the family. It was just her, but _not_ her.

"Will you tell my father that I'm going to Galu to meet Kiban today?" She asked sweetly.

Atri was confused enough already and it shone unequivocally on his face. Why would Keta ask him to tell Avlo something? Couldn't she do it herself? He felt a sting of the bad feeling course through him. No, something wasn't right.

"Why?" Atri asked (it was one of his favorite words).

Annoyance briefly flashed over her young face. She had expected immediate compliance without question. Those were Atri's usual actions when someone told him to do something.

"Because I don't want to trouble him. He doesn't like to be interrupted when he's working…" Keta trailed off lamely.

Atri's face flinched slightly. Keta was not telling the truth. He _felt_ this. It didn't make sense as it was. Atri felt a feeling of dread well up within him.

"But either way he would be interrupted. Why not you?" Atri asked.

Keta's eyes narrowed slightly as she regarded the boy.

"I don't have to answer to you. Just tell him." She bickered.

"No!" Atri said adamantly.

Keta was taken aback as the normally dazed and passive Atri stood up to her. They were about the same height even though she was older. His blank eyes bore into Keta and she felt a shiver go through her. It was like looking at a void. She felt afraid for some reason. The boy stared at her for a minute and then his blank gaze faltered and was filled up with a desperate look.

"Don't go," He pleaded. "Not today… tomorrow!"

Atri latched onto her arm and Keta flinched at the contact. The boy's touch was cold and his hands were trembling slightly. Atri looked on the verge of throwing a crying-fit and his shaking hands would not let go.

"This is my choice. None of you can stop me!" Keta yelled and tried to free herself.

Atri grasped her tighter and closed his eyes. Keta struggled further and finally threw the boy off of her. She looked at him with horror and then backed away out of the kitchen. Atri continued to stare after her, but didn't follow. He didn't know what he should do. He saw—he _saw_ something and he didn't understand what it meant. Atri was paralyzed by the swirling currents inside of his head. He knew he had to do something, but he didn't know what to do. What he _saw_ he had not experienced before. He felt like he had a voice inside of him screaming at him that could not be silenced unless he heeded it, but it never told him what to do!

Atri knew that that standing would not solve the problem so he began to move his paralyzed feet. He didn't know where he was going but he was going to move. He took a step and then another. He finally gained momentum and he went running out of the house. He headed towards the fields. His mind was racing faster than his legs and he couldn't keep up. His foot hit a rock and Atri felt strange as he started flying through the air. The air became heavy again and slowed down. His eyes closed and his body started moving on its own. He absorbed some of the impact in his hands and rolled forward. Atri was back on his feet before he knew it and he began to run faster.

He had to tell someone!

Atri stopped for a second and caught his breath as he took a look around him. The house was far behind him and the fields were off in the distance as well. He felt a sinking feeling inside of himself as he realized that there was no one around. Would they understand anyway? Did they see what he _saw_? If so, where were they? What did he see? Was it real?

The sun struggled to shine through the overcast cloud cover and Atri felt a chill go through him. The wind brushed against his skin. The invisible force always amazed him even when he was anxious. What was he going to do? The boy's eyes strained to see as far as he could. The sun peaked out of the clouds for a second and Atri caught a glimpse of someone coming towards him. Atri felt a large sense of relief go through him. He ran over towards the figure.

"Slow down young Atri!" Tiku said with a smile.

Atri's face was pale and he looked absolutely miserable. Tiku grasped Atri's shoulders in an effort to calm him down. Atri was almost vibrating with tension.

"What is it?" Tiku asked with concern.

"K-keta," Atri stuttered. "Sh-she is…"

Tiku immediately focused all of his attention on the boy and his grip became tighter. His pale blue eyes looked strangely intense and Atri tried to not look at them.

"What about Keta?"

"Sh-she goes to Galu and then she doesn't c-come back." Atri sobbed.

"Atri, start at the beginning. What happened?" Tiku asked in confusion.

"She w-wanted me to tell Avlo she was going to Galu to meet Kiban, but I said no."

"She's going _where_?" Tiku asked with incredulity.

Tiku began to pace around with the same nervous energy that Atri was displaying. Alarms were going off in Tiku's head. Keta never went to Galu to meet Kiban. Avlo paid for Kiban to come to their house exclusively. Why would he ask her to come to the capital? Something wasn't right…

"I asked her why and she said she didn't want to trouble him… but it wasn't…" Atri searched for a word. "It wasn't _right_."

"Do you mean she was lying?" Tiku asked seriously.

"Lying?" Atri didn't know the word.

"When someone says something and they don't mean it." Tiku immediately clarified.

"I...I don't know. It just wasn't _right_."

Tiku said some words that Atri had never heard before and clenched his fists. He let out a frustrated growl and shook his head in annoyance.

"Damn it!" Tiku shouted and began to march off towards the house. Atri ran after him and struggled to keep up with his pace. "What does she think she is doing?" He muttered.

"Tiku…" Atri said softly.

Tiku stopped and looked down at the boy and he felt a chill go up his spine. The boy looked absolutely terrified and was trembling all over. What had scared him so badly?

"I saw…" He tried to explain. "She doesn't come back. She leaves. It hasn't happened yet, but I _saw_."

Tiku hugged the boy tightly. The boy was not making any sense. Tiku always believed there was something a little off about Atri, but not in a bad way. Sometimes Atri understood difficult and adult concepts without any instruction but he didn't know what a fork was at first glance. He would clear all of this up when he came back with Keta.

The young adult hiked back to the house and went into an adjacent storage shed. He brought out an old and barely functioning swoop. He uttered a small prayer as he pressed the ignition switch. It sputtered to life and Tiku let out a roar of triumph. He hopped on top of the swoop. Atri watched in silence.

"I'll bring her back," Tiku said and Atri nodded.

Tiku raced towards the main road and began the journey to Galu. He hoped he would catch his sister on the way. He forgot to ask how long ago Keta had left.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It was a few hours before the brother and sister returned. Keta stormed inside the house with a growl and Tiku followed behind with a stern expression. Atri and Shiko were in the kitchen watching Sera intently as she made dinner. Avlo was still out working in the fields. It was nearing harvest season and he had more work now than ever. Sera looked up in concern as she saw her only daughter in such a state. Keta stalked off to her room and slammed the door. Tiku winced and sighed in frustration.

"Where have you been? Your father needs your help now more than ever. He wasn't so happy when you just disappeared on him." Sera scolded lightly.

Tiku filled up a glass with water and gulped it greedily. His brows furrowed as he tried to compose himself.

"I was stopping Keta from making a stupid mistake." He muttered.

Tiku looked on the verge of strangling something and Sera knew this. She took a deep breath and waited for her son to continue. She was slightly peeved when he sat down and stared out the window.

"I don't think your father is going to take that excuse young man." Sera commented wryly.

"I'm sure he wouldn't." Tiku said bitterly.

"Tiku! Do not use that disrespectful tone in this house!"

Tiku almost openly glared at his mother. His lip twitched and he narrowed his eyes. Sera was a little shaken. Something had obviously gone on between her two oldest children.

"Maybe you should ask Keta what happened then." Tiku muttered again.

"You know I won't have any luck with that. Keta doesn't talk to anyone if she doesn't want to." Sera said.

Tiku let out a short and bitter laugh as he took another drink of water. Atri and Shiko were finally curious enough to overcome their trepidation at Tiku's anger. They sat on both sides of the young man and stared at him. Tiku looked over at Atri and his eyes asked a silent question. Atri's eyes revealed nothing back but the boy didn't look quite as terrified as he had before.

"Will you at least tell me where you two went?" Sera asked with a suffering sigh.

"Hah! Ask Keta where she was _going_. I was lucky enough to find her on the way though." Tiku said scathingly.

"Tiku, please, just tell me what is going on between you two. You haven't said a civil word to each other in days."

"I caught her on the way to Galu," Tiku finally said. "She was going by herself."

"She knows better than that!"

"I'm sure she does, but that didn't stop her."

"There's something else isn't there?" Sera asked not bothering to mask her worry.

Tiku smiled sardonically and tapped his chin. Shiko almost laughed out loud. His older brother was always respectful towards his parents. Maybe Tiku was going to get in trouble! That would be fun to watch…

"Oh yes mother, there is _definitely_ something else. I am not allowed to say at the moment, but perhaps you should ask Keta about that."

Tiku then drank the rest of his water and put the cup in the sink. He stalked out of the house and headed towards the fields. Sera's forehead broke out into worried wrinkles as she watched the closed door to her normally happy home.

"Is Tiku in trrrroooouuuubbbbllleeee?" Shiko asked drawling out the last word.

"No honey," Sera said softly.

"Why not?" Shiko asked with a frown.

Sera didn't answer. She temporarily abandoned her cooking and went towards her daughter's room. She knocked softly on the door and waited for Keta to answer.

"Keta!" Sera called.

"_What!" _Keta answered back in a tone dripping with acid.

"Can I come in?" Sera kindly asked.

"_No!_"

"Why not?"

"_Because I don't want to let you in!_"

Sera slowly opened the door and was met by an icy glare from Keta. Sera crushed the hurt that look generated and pushed it down. Her daughter had her arms crossed and was sitting on her bed with a datapad in her lap. Meanwhile Shiko and Atri left the table and went to hear what was going on. They listened at the partially opened door.

"What's wrong?" Sera asked keeping her distance from her daughter.

"What, didn't Tiku tell you?" She asked with hatred coating every word.

"No, honey, he didn't." Sera said in her quiet voice and took a few steps forward.

Keta looked a little startled and the anger left her face to be replaced by shock. Her lips twitched and her blue eyes looked down at the datapad.

"Oh, I thought he would…" She admitted.

"He's angry though," The mother admitted. "I've never seen him so angry in his life. He was always so calm and rational."

"Yeah, I know he's mad." Keta said insolently. "I don't care."

"Yes you do. You might not realize it right now, but you care a lot. Maybe it's why you are so angry at him."

"You don't even know what this is all about so how would you know?"

"Because you're my children and I _know_ a lot more than you think."

"Yeah right," Keta sulked.

Sera looked sharply at her daughter and frowned.

"I know why your brother is covering up for you and taking most of _your_ punishment. I know he's not going to tell me or your father what happened. I only hope that you see your brother's actions for what they really are." Sera said pointedly.

Keta visibly flinched and Sera left her alone in her room. Sera went back to her neglected cooking with a heavy heart. Shiko and Atri (happy for not being spotted) looked at each other in confusion. Keta got up and closed her door all the way. Atri flinched at the sound. He was glad that Keta had come back, but he knew the trouble was not over. He couldn't really remember the images from what he _saw_, but he remembered the feelings. He knew that Keta was going to leave for Galu and that she would not come back. He had felt the sadness that came from Keta's brothers and parents. He had felt the guilt and the anger. He had felt the wrongness.

The danger was not over, but the boy felt a lot better. He had done the right thing and somehow he felt that things would be okay. It was a very comforting feeling that he and Shiko seemed to share exclusively.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dinner was a tense and awkward moment. Tiku and Keta sat as far away as possible and did not look or speak to each other throughout the whole meal. Avlo continued to berate Tiku for leaving him in the fields when he promised to help. Tiku offered only non-committal and almost rude answers. Every once in awhile after Avlo pronounced his disbelief over his son's thoughtlessness Tiku would look up and stare directly at Keta. A few seconds later he would allow his gaze to drop with a look in his eyes that said that only a small glance was enough to pain him.

Keta stubbornly refused to say anything and she would frequently sneak a strange and almost malicious glimpse at Atri. Sera had a scowl on her face as she watched her cooking go to waste as no one seemed to enjoy _anything_ at the moment. Avlo was annoyed with his eldest and was letting it show quite plainly. It was only Shiko and Atri who seemed to be oblivious to the tense atmosphere. They giggled and laughed at anything and everything they could. They played with their food and were overjoyed when everyone was too preoccupied to even notice. Shiko even managed to teach Atri the art of hiding food that they did not want to eat.

"So I heard that Prince Beju has finally returned from Phindar," Sera said, trying to get some sort of conversation going.

Tiku shrugged and continued to stare at his food. Sera sighed heavily. Something was going on with her family and she was going to find out. If politics couldn't get Tiku to talk then she didn't know what could. She looked at Shiko and Atri and a small smile crept on her face. The two were carrying out some sort of dramatic duel with their spoons. Both were smiling and oblivious to everything else. At least some things never changed. Seeing him at the river and denying his reflection had been a little heart-breaking, but the boy looked fine now. It was at that moment that she could no longer deny that Atri had become one of her children and that she loved him. They all loved him.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_A/N: Wow, probably my fastest update yet. You can blame college life. I have this five hour break between classes on most days and there is this completely silent room in the library that is very conducive to writing. Next chapter… Qui-Gon searches for Obi-Wan but gets sucked into the already existing Jedi mission. Poor Qui. Thanks again for reviewing._


	21. 21

21

* * *

_"I do feel sadness," Qui-Gon admitted. "I've tried to understand why. Sometimes our own hearts can be such a mystery." _

_The Queen nodded. "Just ask Beju" she said. "My son is just beginning to understand himself."

* * *

_

Prince Beju's ship landed perfectly in the spaceport. The Prince exchanged a smile with the Jedi and stretched his arms and legs out. It had been a short and pleasant journey. He found Qui-Gon's company very enjoyable and he liked talking to him. The Jedi was definitely wise and had seen many things. The boy was eager to hear about them and it painfully reminded him of his lost padawan. The Jedi closed his eyes and reached out through the Force for the newly formed bond. There was nothing. It didn't necessarily mean that Obi-Wan was not here. The bond was extremely new and who knows what the memory wipe did to the boy's distinct signature. The Jedi was hoping for something close, but there was nothing. He inwardly sighed, but was not going to leave until he knew for certain that his padawan hadn't been here. He rubbed his fingers over the river stone and it calmed him down.

"Home!" Beju cried in relief as his honor guard prepared to exit the craft. "Master Qui-Gon, will you accompany me to the palace? I can find you a guide from there and anything else you need for your search."

The Jedi nodded and Beju smiled. Qui-Gon almost winced when he was reminded yet again of his padawan. Prince Beju had a way of doing that. Sometimes the Jedi would be talking to him and for a second think of Obi-Wan. It made little sense to the Jedi Master. Obi-Wan and Beju looked nothing alike save for their height.

"I must admit I have a double agenda though." Beju said wryly.

"And what is that?" Qui-Gon asked in amusement.

"You're my only witness of me publicly debasing myself." Beju said succinctly.

"You mean helping the Phindians rebuild their planet?" Qui-Gon laughed.

"Yes, _exactly_. My mother or the councilors will not believe my sincerity."

"I'd be happy to clear that up for you. I will tell them how you picked up litter, how you fell into a waste tunnel trying to repair the sewer system, how you scrubbed the windows in the housing district, and how you were used as a beast of burden carting supplies from the warehouse to the market everyday."

"On second thought_ don't_ say anything. Aren't the Jedi known for their silence anyways?"

The Jedi and Prince walked down the ramp side by side, laughing and bantering. The Honor Guard snuck surprised looks to each other as they saw their transmogrified Prince.

"Not always. If negotiations are not going well some of us have been known to talk until one side gets so fed up that they agree to compromise. It's a very good tactic." Qui-Gon smirked.

The Honor Guard parted the crowd of Galacians and Qui-Gon and the Prince were able to walk freely. The guards led the Prince and his guest towards a very elaborate skiff. Qui-Gon stopped and eyed it critically. It was a mark of power, but there were others equally as opulent. Something was drastically wrong with the planet's class system. Qui-Gon couldn't find much of a middle class. They were either wealthy or poor. Perhaps the elections would change this, but nothing was certain. Beju looked at Qui-Gon strangely and Qui-Gon smiled.

"Might I suggest an alternative Prince Beju?" Qui-Gon asked.

The prince crossed his arms and sighed.

"Qui-Gon you are going to be the death of me! What is it?" He asked in his forced-imperious voice.

The Jedi laughed and grasped Beju's shoulder in camaraderie. He extended his hand and encompassed the city.

"Walk with me," Qui-Gon suggested simply.

"Walk!" The prince asked incredulously.

"Do you see your people?" Qui-Gon asked and Beju took a long look at the spaceport. "How can you know what they want if you never walk among them?"

Beju paused for a long time and continued to stare at the bustling spaceport. The Honor Guard were now freely exchanging glances of suspicion. Who was this imposter Prince Beju who came back to Gala? Their Prince deliberated the Jedi's words and his brow furrowed as if it was the most important decision of his life.

"All right Qui-Gon, but only because you saved my life once." Beju conceded.

The Jedi smiled as the Prince ordered the Honor Guard to leave him be and to inform the Queen that he would arrive much later than expected. The Guard muttered something under their breaths but they didn't dare disobey their Prince's orders. Once the Prince and Jedi were alone the odd pair began to walk towards the palace.

Beju squinted as he exited the spaceport. His hand shielded his eyes from the weak sunlight and seemed to take the entire scene in. Galacians milled about and didn't seem to notice that their Prince was walking among them. He usually did not go into the city. He had been born and raised at the palace and there was never a need for him to go into the city. The prince's pale blue eyes skimmed the entire scene and his eyebrows furrowed together. The city was dilapidated and parts of it were falling apart. There was poverty and then there was extreme wealth. There wasn't a lack of food or parts like on Phindar. There was just something _wrong_ and Beju could not figure out what it was. Had Gala changed so much in his absence or had he changed?

"Qui-Gon," Beju started softly. "I do not understand how I did not see this."

The pair continued to walk through the city. The entire populace seemed to ignore them. Even the Jedi found this a little odd. Did they not recognize the Prince of Gala or did they just not care? It couldn't be the latter. Galacians weren't the most curious of races, but they did know their Queen and her son.

"They told me everything was fine and I need not worry about it." Beju said, deep in thought.

They passed a once beautiful, but now completely decrepit building. Laughing children ran around and through the building. Several adults (presumably their parents) were talking together. They were obviously poor by the looks of their garb. One of the adults began to laugh and soon all of them were laughing at some personal joke. The children continued to play and when hearing their parents laughing they ran to them and hugged their legs. Beju and Qui-Gon were both lost to their thoughts.

"How did I miss this?" Beju asked again.

"Sometimes we only see what we want to or what others want us to," Qui-Gon responded.

"But it was always right in front of me." Beju protested.

"That is probably the hardest thing for any being to see. If they see it enough they forget its value or perhaps believe it doesn't have any value for them."

Prince Beju was silent for a moment and absorbed the words. He looked at the ground for awhile, but when he finally looked up Qui-Gon thought he saw something flicker in the boy's eyes.

"Thank you Master Qui-Gon," Beju said clearly and slightly inclined his head in respect.

A familiar stab of pain went through the Jedi's heart as that simple action reminded him of his lost padawan poignantly. It was hard enough to keep his emotions in check, but Beju was reminding him more and more of Obi-Wan. What possible lesson was the Force trying to teach him with this?

"Do not thank me just yet Prince Beju," Qui-Gon said as he nodded toward a mass of people coming towards them on the street.

"What is..?" Prince Beju started to ask.

The mass of people were holding signs that were flashing blue and gold with the name DECA. Qui-Gon felt a slight warning in the Force as the crowd became closer to them. There were few things Qui-Gon truly feared, but the passion of a mob was one of them. When enraged beings formed together and fed each other's fervor they abandoned all logic and reason. There was only the rage and the invincibility of the numbers.

"Deca Brun?" The Prince scoffed. "Do these people even _know_ what their dear Deca has been up to?"

The rally continued towards the two and Qui-Gon was inconspicuously herding the young Prince away from the street.

"What do you mean?" Qui-Gon asked; his voice not betraying the slight anxiety he felt.

"Deca doesn't come from a wealthy family like Wila Prammi or myself. He simply doesn't have the _funds_ to support this sort of campaign. Someone is financing him and I'm sure they're not doing it out of the kindness of their hearts. They'd want something back; something that Deca could give them if he was in charge." The prince said seriously.

"And you haven't leaked this out for your own campaign's benefit why?" Qui-Gon asked.

"I don't have enough proof and Giba says…" The Prince began but then trailed off in thought.

The Prince had a strange facial expression on his face and he was tapping his chin thoughtfully. His eyes squinted as if glaring at the Deca supporters.

"Hmmm…" Beju murmured.

Qui-Gon felt another wave of anger hit him and saw another group coming from the opposite end of the street. They held Wila Prammi signs and when they spotted the Deca supporters they began to wave their signs more menacingly. The tension on the street went up exponentially. The Jedi Master was starting to get worried. They were stuck between the two opposing groups.

"Prince Beju, I think it's time we leave." The Jedi suggested.

"Wait!" Beju called. "Where are _my_ supporters?"

Qui-Gon almost let out a long exasperated sigh. This was no time for the Prince to recover his vanity! The two mobs finally clashed into each other and Qui-Gon winced as a stray fist found its way into his gut. He looked around wildly through the flailing limbs and melee for the Prince. What he saw somehow didn't surprise him. The Prince was holding his hands up in the air with a strange smile. Most of the Galacians didn't notice him, but those that did had dropped their weapons and looked rather scared.

"PEOPLE OF GALU, CEASE THIS IMMEDIATELY!" The Prince bellowed.

If there was one defining characteristic of the Prince it was his voice when he was issuing an order. The people immediately froze—some with signs raised high above their heads. They people may have supported another candidate, but they obeyed their usually ill-tempered prince. Most of them were shocked to see the Prince amongst them. A silent hush fell over the people.

"Now, you!" The Prince pointed towards a Deca-supporter.

The supporter had a blank and confused expression on his face as he pointed to himself.

"Yes, _you_! You will take your rally over in that direction."

"But..." The man stuttered.

"Do not question me, just obey!" The prince snapped. "I'm not happy with this either! I mean here everyone thinks a democracy will be beneficial for Gala and look how you prove it!"

The two groups looked almost shamed. Qui-Gon merely watched the prince with a serene expression. As much as the prince had changed he was still the same proud young man he always was who could order around almost anyone he felt like it. Phindar had been good for him.

"And you!" The Prince pointed towards a Prammi supporter. The supported flinched but managed to step forward. "You will take your rally that way!"

The Prince had chosen two completely opposite directions. He narrowed his eyes at the two groups and crossed his arms as if daring one of them to disobey him.

"_Now!_" He ordered and the two groups immediately complied.

As the groups walked away from each other they were whispering to each other and exchanging looks of amazement. Prince Beju was becoming the talk of the entire rally and most supporters forgot about the rally altogether and began to animatedly discuss how the Prince's return from Phindar was going to affect the whole election. Neither the Deca nor Prammi followers had expected anything such as this.

After the two groups had left Beju began to laugh and shake his head in amusement. The Jedi shot him a questioning look and Beju's smile grew. They began to walk towards the palace on the Hill again.

"That was fun," Beju smirked.

"Well done. I'm sure you fully realize how much this is going to help your campaign don't you?" Qui-Gon remarked.

"Fully!" The Prince said with excitement. "You wouldn't consider becoming my political advisor would you?"

"I'm afraid I'll have to decline." Qui-Gon responded gracefully.

"Your damn Jedi ethics are getting in the way of my glorious rule of Gala!" Beju joked.

"Glorious rule?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Too much? How about my celebrated and august leadership?"

"If you insist, but the election isn't won yet." Qui-Gon said slyly.

"You speak too truly Jedi. Tell me, how do you rig an election?"

Qui-Gon shook his head and hoped the prince was joking.

"Don't tell me your ethics get in the way of that too!" The prince said with mock astonishment.

"Perhaps the renowned and perfect prince of Gala needs another lesson in humility." Qui-Gon suggested.

"I have an election to win Jedi!" The prince protested.

"And I have an apprentice to find." Qui-Gon murmured.

The two were silent for the rest of the way to the palace.

The palace was made of a beautiful white material that glistened in the pale sunlight. It had two tall towers that reached towards the heavens. Embedded within the towers were azurite crystals and other gems that made the spires shimmer whenever the sun hit them right. Sunrise and sunset were a beautiful occurrence to behold as each gem lit up on its own and cast a different color on the white building. The roof was gilded with gold and the sight would make any thief's mouth water.

Once Beju and Qui-Gon had hiked up the large hill the palace rested on the guards were at full attention. They offered crisp salutes as the pair walked by, but Qui-Gon heard the sounds of wonder and confusion when the guards thought they were out of hearing range. Beju obviously heard it to and he smirked.

"They'll all think I've gone mad Qui-Gon!" Beju said with glee.

"Have you?" Qui-Gon asked sincerely.

"I think I have," Beju said, but he didn't sound bothered by it.

The Prince and Jedi approached a large ornate door that led into the Queen's receiving room. Beju threw open the door without any compunction about the noise it made when it slammed into the wall. Inside the room were the Queen and a Master-Apprentice team who looked with confusion at Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon didn't recognize the padawan, but the Master he knew as an acquaintance. After a moment of complete silence from both parties Beju decided to speak

"I have returned!" He said with flair.

The Master looked at Qui-Gon with a silent question while the padawan couldn't hide the annoyance on his face. The padawan was an older one, probably about the same age as Prince Beju. Qui-Gon quickly subdued the stab of grief that went through him. Obi-Wan was supposed to be standing next to him in the Jedi team's place.

"Beju, explain this dramatic entrance!" The Queen said with a mixture of annoyance and amusement.

"Mother," Beju smiled and bowed slightly. "You are looking much better. How are you feeling?"

"Beju!" She sighed in exasperation.

"Oh, I forget my manners. Mother, this is Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn."

The Queen's pale eyes found Qui-Gon's and she raised an eyebrow. Her face was completely pale and it looked like she was wasting away. Qui-Gon reached out to the Living Force and knew for sure. The Queen was dying.

"I am honored Queen Veda." Qui-Gon bowed.

"Beju has a lot of explaining to do." The Queen remarked softly.

"All in due time Mother!" The Prince smiled.

"I hope this one is better than your usual excuses my son."

"When you hear the whole story I am sure you will be proud of your son." Qui-Gon said seriously and Prince Beju smiled genuinely.

"Thank you Master Jinn. Perhaps it is best now if we discuss what you shall need in your search." Beju suggested.

"Search?" The Queen asked.

The two Jedi stepped forward. They were interested in what Qui-Gon was doing back on the planet he specifically asked the council to send another team to. The team had gotten sketchy details on why the Jedi Master had abandoned the Gala mission.

"My apprentice is missing. Prince Beju thought it wise I start looking on Gala first since the planet is in close proximity to Phindar." Qui-Gon said seriously.

The other Jedi sent another questioning glare towards Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon met it, but his face was completely impassive. The Jedi's name was Reben Kazaran and he was a thirty-year old human with a bushy beard. As hard as Reben tried to get his hair under control it was too thick to tame. The Jedi eventually compromised with keeping the hair on his head very short, but his beard longer than most. The reddish-brown beard went down to his chest. His padawan looked like any other sixteen year old apprentice. The braid looked fairly long signifying that the padawan had been picked pretty early.

"An apprentice? Since when did the 'lone-warrior' get an apprentice?" Reben asked with a laugh.

Qui-Gon felt a tendril of annoyance and anger go through him. It was quickly subdued by shame and guilt as he pondered the question. He hadn't even had Obi-Wan as an apprentice for a month before the boy was missing.

"It was very recent," Qui-Gon managed to choke out.

"Oh…" Reben said ineloquently.

The grieving Jedi was glad that Reben didn't say anything else, but he still felt like the other Jedi was judging him. _Everyone_ at the templeknew about Xanatos except for the Apprentices. Having an apprentice go practically dark side wasn't one of those things you could brag about. Qui-Gon usually didn't speak of it and no one did either.

"I would greatly appreciate it if I was allowed full access to Galu and its surrounding regions. Also anonymity would be greatly desired." The Jedi said.

"Of course Qui-Gon," The prince agreed. "Is there anything else we can do for you? Do you have a holo of your apprentice? We could make missing-person posters."

"I do not." Qui-Gon shook his head.

"Perhaps just a description then…" Beju trailed off in thought.

Qui-Gon was going to begin to describe his lost padawan when the Queen held up her hand to cease all conversation. Qui-Gon respectfully bowed his head as did the other Jedi.

"I would advise against this." The Queen said seriously and with much effort.

"Mother, this man saved my life! The least we could do is—"Beju was cut off.

The Queen held up her hand and to her surprise her son immediately ceased speaking. Since when did Beju ever stop from voicing his opinion at _anyone's _request?

"The political groups will know these missing posters are coming from the palace; from _you_." The Queen looked at her son. "They will turn this search into a political maneuver. It'll increase the chance of this apprentice being found, but then you've just turned the apprentice into a political tool to get more votes. Another scenario would be that no one would notice. The people are too consumed with the election to care about a lost off-worlder."

The Queen looked slightly out of breath after her speech and two servants quickly helped her settle back into her gilded chair. She was already quite worn out with explaining Gala's situation to the other Jedi. The toll of the day was finally getting to her. Her icy blue eyes shone from hooded eyelids. Her shimmer silk dress changed colors as she tried to regain her strength. Her son hesitated and then briskly walked over to his mother. He kneeled on the left side of the chair and held his mother's hand as he looked into her pale face.

"Mother?" He asked with a tiny hint of fear in his voice.

Here was the missing piece of the boy's character that Qui-Gon was searching for. There were times when he sensed a quiet anxiety about the Prince. The boy was torn between worry over his mother and most likely a feeling of betrayal. The Queen took away his birthright when she called for elections. That must have stung the Prince more than he let on. Beju squeezed his mother's hand in assurance and the Queen smiled at him weakly.

"I'm… sorry," The Queen apologized. "I did not anticipate so much excitement for one day. I must retire to my room." She said barely louder than a whisper.

Several servants immediately sprang into action and practically carried their Queen to her chambers. The prince was left with three concerned Jedi and his own fear. He shook his head as if to clear it and then turned back towards Qui-Gon.

"She is right Qui-Gon. The other candidates would use your apprentice as some sort of pawn to either knock me out of the race or make themselves look good." Beju sighed.

"Politics!" The Jedi Master growled, but he knew the Queen was right.

The chamber doors opened again and in came a frail and balding man with an escort of guards. His shrewd eyes fell on his Prince and the Jedi. His silver robe made a swishing noise as he made his way towards the four.

"My Prince," The man bowed. "I am glad you have finally returned."

"Giba…" Beju acknowledged.

Lonnag Giba noted that something had drastically changed in the Prince's demeanor. He also thought he detected a hint of suspicion in the Prince's eyes. Something definitely wasn't right and he was going to get to the bottom of this. He smiled as the gears in his head worked furiously. He had the Prince in the palm of his hand. He didn't have to worry. Beju would do anything he told him to. He was absolutely certain of it.

Still… Something had definitely changed and he was going to find out what it was. First things first: He didn't want the Jedi meddling in his affairs. He'd have to find a way to keep them confined to the palace unless they had an escort with them. With the Queen so weak she didn't have the strength to defend the Jedi. The decision would ultimately rest in Beju's hands and Giba controlled those hands. Of this he was fully confident.

* * *

_A/N: All right, I wrote this chapter because I thought Beju needed his very own chapter. After this he only plays a minor role in eveyrthing that goes on. I'm going to miss him! _

_I'm sorry to disappoint any of you… but this fic is not even close to being done. I mean I have probably a chapter or two before Qui-Gon actually gets to see Obi-Wan. The next stage is all about Obi-Wan trying to recover his memories and believe me that is the most difficult part of this whole journey. I'm sorry this took longer than the last one. My attention is being split by a new fandom… Sorry guys! _


	22. 22

22

* * *

"_One last thing I have," He said. "A question, it is. Why do you leave Obi-Wan in the dark Qui-Gon? He knows not of this, I think. Yet he is on the same trail you are on, in a different place."_

"_That's true," Qui-Gon admitted. "But there is no need for him to know yet. It places him at risk. I'm keeping him out of danger."_

"_The apprentice accepts the danger when the Master accepts the apprentice," Yoda replied._

"_You forget," Qui-Gon said coolly. "I did not accept Obi-Wan. He is not my apprentice. We are on a planet together. There is a difference."_

_Yoda nodded slowly. "Trust is that difference. Easier you think, to change the past than the future."_

_

* * *

_

"Where are you going Tiku?" Sera asked curiously.

The eldest son looked back at his mother with a grin and hefted a backpack onto his shoulders.

"Galu," He replied. "Prince Beju is making some sort of speech in the plaza."

"In person?" Sera asked with astonishment.

"I know, I know! It's absolutely insane. Everyone thinks our dear Prince Beju has lost his mind, but whatever it is I'm going to see it."

"What about your father?"

Tiku's lip twitched slightly and his brow furrowed. Sera noticed this and made sure to remember it. Ever since the day Tiku and Keta had come home from Galu her husband had been constantly poking and prodding at this eldest son. She had stopped asking-- knowing that it was only incensing her children's anger and making them clam up. Her husband didn't get this subtle fact.

"I already asked him and he said it was okay," Tiku said, looking away in annoyance.

"You mean you told him you were going, he tried to forbid you, and you reminded him that you are an adult now and that he couldn't stop you." Sera said wryly and Tiku grinned.

"Same thing," He quipped.

Sera's son laughed and she gave him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. He rolled his eyes in mock-irritation and she hugged him again in 'punishment'.

"Be safe Tiku," Sera reminded gently.

Tiku nodded and headed out the door as he headed towards his run down swoop. He patted it gently for luck and jumped on top. Before he started the engine up he looked back at the fields of wheat being harvested by Avlo and his two paid helpers. Tiku smiled as he saw his younger brother Shiko and Atri helping out in their own way. He turned away with a sigh. No one ever said that he _had_ to be a farmer like his father. It was simply implied. Family was extremely important on Gala. Professions were handed down throughout the generations. Tiku knew he was perfectly capable of being a farmer it was just so… So dull. He admitted he didn't really know what he wanted to do with his life, but he knew for certain he did not want to be a farmer.

This made his father extremely unhappy.

Tiku growled and coerced the swoop into precarious life. It was an old swoop. It was old when his father had bought it twenty years ago. Tiku always felt like he was putting his life in danger when he used it. He traveled to Galu at a leisurely pace and tried to not worry when the swoop made ominous clunking sounds. The young-adult decided to park the swoop on the outskirts of the city. He didn't want to risk crashing into another vehicle or person. He placed the swoop next to a large boulder and walked away from it. He wasn't afraid that the swoop would be stolen. No one would want such a run down and decrepit machine.

The young adult smiled as he strolled into the city. The outskirts of Galu were practically deserted. The buildings were in shambles and the roads were rough and unpaved. Tiku didn't mind though. He had been raised on a farm and he rarely got to see the capital or any city for that matter. He walked towards the plaza at a leisurely pace. The buildings surrounded Tiku on all sides and blocked some of the weak sunlight. Tiku almost felt a little claustrophobic, but he had long ago decided that this closeness was a good thing. At his father's farm it was a very long walking distance to their 'neighbors'. As a result Tiku didn't really know anyone. He didn't have many friends and those few friends he had he met inside the city. The worst part was that he never met any girls. There were pretty young Galacian woman all over the city but Tiku didn't even know how to talk to them. He sighed.

Avlo may have enjoyed this secluded life, but it was wearing on his two eldest children. It was in Tiku's power to leave his parents but he had not done so yet. He was torn between his obligations as a son and the desire for his own life. At least he _tried_ to give this important decision some thought. Keta was determined to leave as soon as she could and nothing was going to stop her.

Tiku stopped walking and his normally carefree face became an irritated glare. How dare she try and run away from her family! And with Kiban no less! That was what happened when he brought her back from Galu. She was on her way to meet Kiban in the city and they were going to leave Gala altogether. Tiku clenched his fists as he thought of his sister's tutor. Kiban wasn't stupid. Why would he try and leave the planet with Keta if he knew it would be seen as abduction? Why would a twenty-something year old tutor want with a sixteen year old girl? Tiku pondered this as he began to walk again.

His eyes widened in horror when an all too real possibility came to mind.

"That bastard! That goddamn sick bastard!" Tiku swore uncharacteristically.

Tiku knew his sister wasn't stupid either. She had to know _something_ was going on. Sure she wanted to get away from the farm but there were other ways. Two years wasn't a very long time to wait. Unless… Tiku mentally slapped himself. She wouldn't leave unless she was infatuated with Kiban. Why hadn't he noticed before? The way she always sat close to her tutor or the room would immediately silence when Tiku walked in; how she hung on his every word like it was absolute truth… The list went on and on.

"Keta you are so stupid!" Tiku berated his non-present sister.

Tiku swore the next time he saw Kiban he was going to make sure his fist made a lasting impression on Kiban's face. No one messed with his younger sister. No one.

Tiku was so agitated and absorbed in his thoughts about his sister that he ran straight into a tall man. Tiku was tall and lean, but he wasn't a weakling. Farm-work was very grueling and he was very fit. This was part of the reason why he was surprised that he didn't even knock the man off balance.

"I'm really sorry," Tiku said sincerely.

The man smiled but the smile didn't quite reach his dark eyes. The man's skin was darker than a Galacians and half of his long hair was tied back. He wore a simple brown robe and creamy tunic.

"It is easy to get lost in thought." The man commented.

"Too easy," Tiku agreed.

"Try and focus on the present," The man chided. "The here and now are all that matter."

Tiku looked at the man strangely not quite believing his words.

"No offense stranger, but that's slightly ridiculous."

The stranger looked taken aback but he eyed the young man curiously.

"If we always concentrated on the present how could we ever do _anything_? If we had no hopes or dreams for the future then how could we even begin to accomplish anything? Furthermore, the present is only a state of being. To stay in it exclusively goes against everything we know. Why do we have memory if not to look back to the past? Why do we hope if not to look to the future? The present is what we do in the time between looking past and looking forward. We exist in the now, but it is our past that shapes us. If we stopped looking back or had nothing to look back to we would be nothing." Tiku reasoned.

He slightly hoped the stranger would disagree with him so he could get into a verbal debate. He loved rhetoric. The man's reaction was unexpected. His face was calm and emotionless but he radiated anxiety. He inclined his head towards the young Galacian.

"That is a valid point," He said softly and Tiku smiled.

"I'm more interested to see if you can refute it." Tiku said wryly.

"Maybe some other time…" The man trailed off.

Tiku didn't know for certain but the man seemed very sad. The man didn't show it, but Tiku could sort of feel it. The man was putting up a good front, but it was too good.

"I should be on my way." The man said and walked towards the outskirts of town.

Tiku watched him with a frown but then headed towards the plaza again. He had a strange feeling that he would be seeing the off-worlder again. There was something about him that was familiar and he couldn't figure it out. Tiku shook his head and decided it wasn't that important.

* * *

Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn didn't exactly have a plan on how to find his lost apprentice. He went out into the city with only assumptions and what he knew of a renewed person's mentality. He started searching at the spaceport. He wasn't looking for the boy's face in a crowd (even if he was hoping he would see it). He was searching for a void; a lost soul. He stretched out with the Force and tried to find that void. It was rather difficult. True; it is easier to notice something once it is gone, but there were so many beings on Gala and their fears and insecurities were enough to drown out the subtle void that his padawan would've made. 

There was another problem as well. The emptiness in his heart was choking out everything else. As the days passed the guilt grew and the darkness covered his vision. How long did Obi-Wan have? He was a resilient boy, but how could he survive on his own? How did he eat? Where did he sleep at night? Did he steal to eat? Did he beg? Was he viewed as the rest of the homeless people on the streets? Did someone take him under their wing? Was there someone protecting him? If so, what kind of person was it? Were they teaching Obi-Wan about kindness and goodness or cruelty and hatred? Was Obi-Wan alone? Did he feel lonely? Did he remember anything? Could he still use the Force? Did he know about the Force?

Was he alive?

The questions cycled through his head day and night. The more time passed the harder it was becoming to push away the grief and the self-pity. How many planets were there in the galaxy? The more time passed the harder it would be to find the boy. The renewed usually moved aimlessly throughout life. They responded to their most basic needs and feelings. The Jedi had seen some of the reclaimed renewed victims on Phindar. Their loved ones claimed that the renewed one wasn't even the same person anymore. They had changed and most times not for the better. They had become withdrawn and reclusive. They didn't like to hear that they were 'different'.

There were some that responded very well to kind treatment and that gave the Jedi's heart a ray of hope. If the renewed person was still young they mostly wanted to relearn everything. They wanted to _be_ someone again. It seemed hopeless for the older renewed victims. It was almost as if the renewing process was a rebirth in a morbid way. The victim's brain was wiped clean and ready to mold again into a new personality. Some part of the adult mind couldn't accept this reversion back to an infant-like state and remained resistant to any sort of learning.

Qui-Gon had to wonder what sort of lessons his apprentice was relearning. The galaxy was cruel if you did not know your place in it. Was Obi-Wan being molded by that cruelty? Children lived such a sheltered life in the temple. The boy barely even knew about real evil when he had left the temple for the first time. Would the council even let Obi-Wan have the chance become a Jedi again? They were so strict on certain issues. If they sensed any darkness in the boy they would send him away. No! Master Yoda was just as upset as he was. Qui-Gon was sure of this.

'_How do you even know he's alive? You will bring a body back to the temple, nothing more._' The insidious voice inside of him cackled.

It was becoming harder and harder to block out his doubts. Sometimes he found himself wishing that he'd find Obi-Wan dead instead of searching for the rest of his life. At least he'd have some sort of closure. The boy would be one with the Force and Qui-Gon would never take another padawan ever again. How could he after two catastrophic failures? Xanatos… Those wounds still hadn't healed yet. He was hoping that Obi-Wan would heal them. He could see the potential and goodness in the boy the first time he had laid eyes on him. When Yoda had told him no one had taken him it was a surprise. Surely someone would want the honor of training him!

But he was not chosen.

Perhaps the others had sensed his fate and tried to keep him safe by not choosing him. That didn't make sense though. If that was the case Yoda himself would've intervened. The green troll had great affection for the boy probably above most of the other initiates. That alone spoke volumes at how important Obi-Wan might become to the Jedi Order. Were the other Masters scared to train him? Did Yoda's affection scare other Master's away?

Qui-Gon's eyes passed over the Galacians, but he took in every single detail. He looked at their eyes mostly. He was looking for the void. He was looking for nothing. Qui-Gon nearly jumped when his comlink went off. He answered it with a gruff voice.

"_Master Jinn_?" Reben Kazaran's voice came through the comlink.

"Yes?" Qui-Gon fought to control his annoyance from showing in his voice.

"_I'm afraid I need to ask for your assistance_." Kazaran said.

"I'm sure you are perfectly capable of handling this mission by yourself." Qui-Gon stated.

"_The councilor Giba has my padawan and I under close watch. We are not allowed to leave the palace without supervision._"

"I don't see how that is a problem," Qui-Gon said curtly.

"_Queen Veda has asked me to find King Cana's illegitimate daughter Elan. She's the leader of the Hill People. I have a feeling she is of utmost importance to this mission._"

"Why don't you find her yourself?" Annoyance began to inflect Qui-Gon's voice. He didn't have time for this!

"_I agreed to the conditions Qui-Gon. If I left it would be dishonorable and I cannot leave my pa—"_

Kazaran stopped abruptly, but Qui-Gon knew what he was going to say. Kazaran didn't want to leave his padawan alone in the palace with so much intrigue going on. The comment riled Qui-Gon and he snarled and looked away to the milling Galacians who paid him no attention.

"Sometimes you have to break the rules Kazaran." Qui-Gon said stiffly.

"_No offense Master Jinn, but we follow our Code for a reason. I'm not as keen on breaking the rules as you are._"

Qui-Gon bristled at was left unsaid in Kazaran's message. If Qui-Gon had followed the Code strictly he wouldn't have lost two padawans. It was a harsh blow and the Jedi Knight winced. Qui-Gon knew he had a responsibility to make sure the election went smoothly. It was his original mission after all. As a Jedi could he truly turn his back on someone who needed help? It would be a selfish action and the Jedi Knight knew it. He had pledged his life to the people of the galaxy. He could not go back on that pledge because he was a failure as a Master. He sighed in sorrow. Obi-Wan would have to wait… again.

"All right Kazaran. I need more information on this Elan." Qui-Gon said with a weariness that betrayed his calm composure.

* * *

"Atri!" Avlo called and the boy immediately ran towards the voice. 

Avlo smiled at the enthusiasm and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. Atri looked up, smiling at the tall Galacian and Avlo laughed robustly.

"Where is Shiko?" Avlo asked curiously.

"Shiko?" Atri asked questioningly.

"Yes Atri, why isn't he helping you like I told him?"

"Oh…" Atri stammered. "Shiko is…"

Atri nearly laughed as he watched the boy fidget slightly. He knew exactly where his youngest son was. He knew that Shiko was off raiding the kitchen to find some early snacks for both of them and he knew that Atri was trying to cover for him. A week ago Atri would've given him the truth right away, a month ago Atri didn't even know who Shiko was. It was strange to think that Atri had been with them for almost a month. Atri used to be almost droid-like in his replies. He usually only spoke laconically and straight to the point. Today proved that he was becoming more of an individual.

"I'm sure he's around here somewhere." Avlo said.

"Yep! He's around here somewhere!" Atri exclaimed.

"That's too bad for him. I was going to get us all a well deserved treat. Looks like it's just you and me; to bad Shiko is going to miss out…"

"But…" Atri protested.

"That's unless you know where he is." Avlo said smugly.

"He's… he's hiding!" Atri made up.

"Hiding?" The Galacian asked disbelievingly.

"He saw a… snake!" Atri made up.

"Oh Moons, I hope he's okay! What kind of snake was it?" Avlo said with concern.

Atri looked panicked but then his curiosity got the better of him.

"There are types of snakes?" He asked. Atri had never seen a snake before and didn't quite know what one was. He only heard Shiko mention it once with fear.

"Yes Atri, there are _many _different types. How many legs did this snake have?"

"Umm… four!" Atri made up.

"Really? _Four_ legs? That must have been some snake. I'm surprised it didn't get you as well."

"We were too fast for it!" Atri smiled and looked up innocently at the Galacian.

Atri laughed again and rubbed his adopted-son's hair playfully.

"Come on Atri, if I know Shiko he would've hid in the kitchen." Avlo smirked.

"That's what I think too." Atri agreed.

The two walked back from the fields to the house hand in hand. Avlo could almost forget the troublesome business with his two oldest children whenever Atri was around. He watched the boy around the garden and the fields. The boy really seemed to enjoy it. Avlo swore that the fall flowers in the garden were healthier just because Atri was around him. The boy had a gift with plants.

Maybe he could hand the farm over to Shiko and Atri when they grew up. They would make a great team. Avlo admitted that he really wanted to give the farm to Tiku, his first son, but he knew deep down that Tiku did not want it. His head was in the clouds and not down to earth like a real farmer should be. Perhaps everything wouldn't be so bad after all.

"You're really lucky Atri. I've never seen a snake with four legs before." Avlo joked.

"Yeah, too bad you missed it." Atri said with a conspiratorial smile.

* * *

_A/N: Had to get this chapter out of the way. I mean seriously, when can you say that you've had enough Qui angst? Oh and then Atri/Obi fluff is always good. Oh and for those who wanted to know, my new fandom I'm writing for is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. If you guys even think of laughing at me I won't update for three months! j/k. I try to get these out as fast as possible but now I have to train for this fencing tournament and there goes all my free time…Thanks for reviewing._


	23. 23

23

* * *

"_The Queen had not exaggerated the difficult journey to find the hill people. At first, the roads had been clearly marked. Qui-Gon had found a ride in a speeder to the outskirts of the city. A kind farmer had taken him far on a turbo cart, a young teenager on his speeder bike. But as the roads grew worse and the landscape more desolate, there were no more rides to be had."

* * *

_

By the time Qui-Gon had met up with Kazaran in the palace gardens and learned everything about Elan the sun was starting to set in the sky. The temperature dropped and the gardens were thrown into beautiful silvery twilight. A cold breeze blew through the garden and pink muja-blossoms fluttered through the air like butterflies. Qui-Gon picked a stray blossom out of his hair and let it fall to the ground.

"Are you even listening to me Qui-Gon?" Kazaran asked in annoyance.

"That's what I've been doing for the past hour or so," Qui-Gon snapped back.

Kazaran grimaced and fought very hard to keep his eyes from rolling. Jedi rarely get into the habit of asking others for help. Thus, each Jedi knew the importance placed on such a request from their colleagues. This thought seemed to have slipped Qui-Gon's mind. Kazaran understood that Qui-Gon had lost his padawan, but a Jedi had a duty to _all_ people. Elan was instrumentally important to the safety of Gala. He _felt_ it. Giba was too suspicious of Kazaran and his padawan. He knew he was being followed. Kazaran also knew that Giba could not limit Qui-Gon's access of the planet. Prince Beju had completely shut down any argument Giba came up with to keep him in the city.

"You should leave early tomorrow." Kazaran suggested. "From what I hear, it is a long journey to the Hill-country."

Qui-Gon looked off into the darkening sky and let the pink blossoms caress his face as they cascaded to the ground.

"Don't look so upset Qui-Gon. Your padawan could've very well been taken in by the Hill people. You'd probably have to search there eventually. Actually if you think about it, the possibility is very likely." Kazaran reasoned. "The Galacians make them out to be barbarians, but I suspect they are quite the opposite."

Qui-Gon reached into a pocket and pulled out the river-stone. It felt cold in his hand. Qui-Gon frowned at that. In his youth he had used it as a hand warmer whenever he was without gloves. It had always been a source of warmth and beauty. It was just a rock now. The Jedi Master had the urge to fling the rock as far away from his body as possible, but thought better of it. The Force was still present in it. The Force could never truly _leave_ anything. Why did it seem strangely absent now?

"There is still a problem if I can't convince Elan to return to Galu with me." Qui-Gon said.

Kazaran snorted and crossed his arms.

"When has that _ever_ stopped you Jinn?" His bushy beard stuck out comically. "You're the Master of Stubborn, or so I've heard."

"Hmmph," Qui-Gon muttered.

"Besides, she _will_ listen to you because despite all appearances she is just like us. If anyone can reach her it'll be you."

Qui-Gon felt this to be true as well. He could sympathize with Elan. She had chosen to live apart from society with those of like mind. She only followed the rules she agreed to. He could definitely relate with her. Qui-Gon sighed and composed himself. This would have been a very good first official mission for his padawan. Obi-Wan may have been upset with the tediousness at first but when he figured out how much intrigue was truly going on he would rise to the challenge. Perhaps Obi-Wan would've made friends with Prince Beju.

"Will you please stay focused for a second?" Kazaran rolled his eyes.

"I don't see what else we have to discuss. I will go and try to convince Elan to return to Galu with me while you and your padawan oversee the election and watch over Giba."

Kazaran crossed his arms and looked at the now dark-violet sky. Qui-Gon could tell that he was calling upon the Force for patience. Qui-Gon looked at the sky as well. The three moons rose slowly and cast the garden in a silvery glow.

"Qui-Gon, I know you are aware of the importance of this. Just don't let yourself get too distracted." Kazaran said softly and with a hint of compassion.

"I won't. I know what is at stake." Qui-Gon replied.

"Good. Yoda said I could count on you,"

"You contacted him?" Qui-Gon asked, mildly surprised.

Kazaran's laughter came out as a gruff bark. He slapped Qui-Gon on the back like he had just made a joke.

"It was a little strange seeing you here; especially since you specifically said you weren't going to be. I thought Yoda was pulling a practical joke on me for a second."

The two Jedi Knights were silent for a second but they both ended up in a fit of laughter. In their whole life-times they had never know the little green Master to crack a joke. Qui-Gon shook his head and tried to get the image of their venerable Master Yoda sending teams to the wrong worlds just for kicks. Their laughter subsided and the pair looked at the night sky with a serene expression.

"Watch Giba closely; I sense greed in him." Qui-Gon advised and Kazaran nodded. "Also, the Prince mentioned something about Deca Brun being funded by an outside source. That might be worth looking into."

"We shall," Kazaran bowed his head.

Qui-Gon's thoughts drifted to his padawan. Was Obi-Wan looking at a sky similar to this? If so, did the boy even know what he was looking at? Qui-Gon wrapped his fingers around the cold stone. He felt a wave of comfort wash through him. Even if his padawan was all alone, he still had the Force. The Force would never abandon him.

* * *

"Tiku!" Atri called out as he ran outside the house.

The sky was dark and the little white lights called 'stars' were coming out. Atri thought they were very pretty and everyone in the family agreed. Tiku was looking at these stars with a strange expression on his face. Atri ran up to him and stood beside him. He was only a head shorter than his adopted older brother but he always felt like Tiku was much taller. Tiku always had a way of confusing the boy with his words. This led Atri to believe that Tiku was incredibly intelligent and wise. He was perhaps even wiser than Avlo, but then again Avlo knew a lot more about plants than anyone Atri knew.

"Hello Atri," Tiku murmured.

"Sera said to say that dinner is done." Atri said dutifully.

Tiku nodded and looked up at the stars again. Atri looked at Tiku and wondered what he saw when he looked at the stars. Atri only saw pretty glowing dots, but Tiku had told him once that they were much more than that. Atri felt hundreds of questions burning inside of him, but he was more concerned about dinner. The problem was that Tiku didn't seem concerned at all, and Sera told him not to come back without him.

"Tiku, what's it called when you know something is going to happen?" Atri asked.

"Huh?" Tiku asked absentmindedly and tore his attention away from the stars.

"I mean when you just _know _something is going to happen because you get a feeling?" Atri tried to clarify.

"Oh, that's called intuition." Tiku said with a smile.

"In-tu-it-shon?" Atri tried to say.

"Yeah,"

"Do you have in-tu-i-shon?" Atri asked.

Tiku smiled and clapped Atri's back as they headed towards the house and a warm dinner.

"Everyone has it." Tiku answered with a chuckle.

"Really?" Atri asked with wide eyes.

"Yeah, but some people have it more than others. It depends on how much you observe what is going on around you and understand people. You can practically predict what they're going to do by previous actions they've made."

Atri tried to understand all of what Tiku said, but it was making his head hurt.

"I think I have a lot of intuition," Atri stated as the pair walked through the house.

"I think you might be right," Tiku smiled and messed up Atri's hair playfully.

Sera smiled at her oldest son and the newest addition to her family. They both laughed as they sat in their respective chairs. Shiko was looking at them impatiently and Keta rolled her eyes. Her posture clearly stated that she wanted to be any place but at that dinner table. Avlo began the usual ritual of thanking the land for being bountiful and providing food for the family. The first time Atri heard it, he had no idea what Avlo was saying. Now that he knew that food came from the earth he thought it fitting. Atri had gotten into the habit of thanking the flowers for being so beautiful. Shiko always laughed when he did this, but then _he _started doing it as well.

After the ritual, the family began to eat their food and Shiko would fling vegetables at his sister when his parents weren't looking. Keta growled and threw her fork down on her plate. Shiko giggled and the rest of the family eyed her curiously.

"Mom, will you please tell Shiko to stop being so immature!" She barked.

"Shiko dear, don't throw vegetables at your sister." Sera sighed.

"I didn't do anything!" Shiko denied.

"What did I tell you about lying Shiko?" Sera asked sternly.

"It's bad." Shiko said softly.

"Apologize." Avlo ordered, but couldn't keep the smile off his face.

"I'm sorry for lying," Shiko said to Sera.

"Now apologize to your sister," Avlo said.

"But I'm _not_ sorry!" Shiko said innocently.

Keta glared at her younger brother and Shiko stuck his tongue out at her. Keta stood up and the anger practically radiated from her. Atri frowned as he felt the bad feeling again.

"I am so _sick_ of this family!" She screamed and stalked off to her room.

Avlo and Sera jumped at the sound of a door slamming. They both shook their heads in confusion.

"Tiku was never this difficult to deal with," Avlo sighed.

"She's a teenager. I'd be concerned if she _wasn't_ like this." Sera chuckled.

"Why'd you both decide to be rebellious at the same time?" Avlo asked Tiku.

"Rebellious?" Tiku asked indignantly. "Just because I don't want to—"

"Stop." Sera commanded and all conversation ceased. "Just _try_ to be civil towards one another."

Sera, Tiku, and Avlo were locked in a stare. They were trying to see who backed down first. Shiko started flicking vegetables at Atri now and Atri ducked as the vegetables nearly hit him in the face. He retaliated by flicking his own unwanted vegetables. The three adults broke their stare and turned outraged faces to the two youngest members of their family involved in a food-fight.

"Shiko! Atri!" Sera harped.

The pair froze immediately and turned well practiced innocent faces towards the angry woman. It was possible to endure such a look from one of them alone, but as a pair they were practically irresistible. Sera's glare softened slightly, but she still managed to look threatening.

"No throwing food!" She chastised.

"Never?" Shiko asked with a waver in his voice.

"Never!"

"Not even at Tiku?" Shiko asked again.

"No!"

"Keta?"

"No, Shiko!"

"Kiban?" Shiko asked.

There was a silence and then Avlo and Sera answered opposingly at the same time.

"No!" Sera denied.

"Yes!" Avlo said and Sera glared at her husband.

"What are you trying to teach these boys Avlo?"

"By the moons Sera! You know you would enjoy it!" Avlo reasoned.

"I'm not saying that I wouldn't _want_ to see it happen, but it is not polite nor acceptable to throw food in this house!"

"Dad said I can throw food at Kiban…" Shiko said sneakily and laughed.

"Can I as well father?" Tiku asked with a smirk.

Avlo laughed and slapped the table. Sera crossed her arms but knew she was clearly outnumbered. Soon Tiku, Shiko, and Atri were laughing with the patron of the house. The laughter died down after a minute and Sera rolled her eyes.

"Speaking of Kiban," Tiku began solemnly. "I don't think he should be permitted into this house again."

"Tiku, I know Kiban is not very well liked but he is a good tutor and Keta likes him." Sera defended and Avlo eyed his son critically.

"I don't trust his intentions towards my sister." Tiku barked out.

"What are you talking about Tiku?" Sera asked.

"I just don't trust him okay?" Tiku snapped.

"Does this have something to do with the incident a few days ago?" Sera asked critically.

Tiku said nothing and glared at his plate. Avlo forked vegetables into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. Shiko was making a landscape with his food while Atri watched in fascination.

"Tiku?" Sera asked compassionately.

"Can't you just trust me on this?" He whispered.

"Tiku, it's the only thing she seems to be happy with. I wouldn't want to take that away from her."

Tiku growled in frustration and Atri looked up from Shiko's artistic plate. An awkward silence passed over the room. The family continued to eat in relative silence. Atri didn't feel any of the badness that he had before, but there was something else.

"What's this called?" Atri asked.

"Huh?" Tiku blinked.

"_This_!" Atri asked and outstretched his hands to encompass the room and the people in it.

"This is the dining room Atri." Tiku said strangely.

"No I mean…" Atri tried to explain himself, but couldn't find any adequate words to describe what he wanted to say.

"It's all right Atri," Sera soothed. "We're just a little tense that's all."

"What is tense?" Atri asked curiously.

"Well, it's a little difficult to describe." Tiku said with a thoughtful grin.

"Even for you?" Atri asked in awe.

"Yeah, even for me." Tiku smiled back.

"Maybe that's it then!" Atri said excitedly. "So then tense is… bad?"

"Yes Atri, tense can be really bad." Sera said.

"Oh, then why are you tense?" Atri asked innocently.

The three adults looked back and forth at each other, unable to answer the question.

"I guess we can't help it sometimes." Avlo said.

"Why not?" Atri asked, clearly puzzled.

"Atri, you ask harder and harder questions." Sera smiled.

"They're not hard!" Shiko exclaimed. "It's cause that's who we are. We get mad and sad cause that's who we are. People just are these things cause they have to be something."

Atri nodded in understanding. Sera eyed her youngest son with a confused but very pleased smile. How did Shiko always have the best way to explain things to Atri? Perhaps it was because he offered the simplest explanation. Sometimes Sera forgot that Atri didn't know about many things they all took for granted. It was very difficult for her to explain abstract concepts to the boy. Regardless of how much the boy didn't know he was still very bright. He picked up concepts fast and he remembered them. He also had an intense desire to learn _everything_. Sera wondered if Atri was afraid of losing his memory again and that's why he strove so hard to remember everything he saw.

"Shiko, you're amazing." Tiku shook his head and smiled.

Shiko beamed under the compliment from his older brother. The family returned to friendly conversation as if nothing had happened. Atri felt the good feelings swirl around the room and he basked in them. Sometimes the bad feelings overpowered everything, but the goodness always returned. He understood this. The bad feelings could be driven away. There was still a lingering trace of the bad feelings, but those came from Keta. Atri frowned. His 'intuition' showed him that she was going to be all right, but it was confusing. He didn't know _when_ she would be all right or _how _it would happen; only that it would.

* * *

Qui-Gon decided to head for the Hill Country on foot. He knew Prince Beju would've provided him with any sort of transportation he desired, but Qui-Gon felt in order to reach Elan he had to make the journey with his own two feet just as she had probably done. He didn't want to arouse the suspicion of Giba either. Kazaran and his apprentice were having enough problems with the councilor as it was. Qui-Gon slipped out of the palace without being seen and began his hike towards the mountains.

The city's wealth was concentrated towards the gilded palace. As Qui-Gon headed towards the outskirts the buildings became more decrepit and abandoned. Landscaping was left to decay and black weeds were starting to overrun quaint little gardens. Qui-Gon took all of this in, but did not dwell on it.

Democracy would stabilize Gala—with time. The Jedi knew all too well that democracies had problems as well. They were slow, but they ensured that the rights of the people were not being trampled. Gala could never be a direct democracy; very few worlds held a small enough population for that to work. A representative democracy would be best. The governor would have power, but they would still be subject to the whims of the people. Gala still didn't have plans for a senate or if they would change their judicial system. This election was just the beginning.

It was nearing midday when Qui-Gon reached the edge of the city. There were tiny dots in the horizon that identified the houses of suburbial dwellers, but the closest city was many miles away. Gala was truly a quiet planet and Qui-Gon knew if things were different he would truly enjoy this chance to find Elan in the Hill-country. Qui-Gon's feet tread lightly and with purpose on the road. As he got further and further away from Galu the roads got worse. They were only a dirt paths outlined with rocks whose upkeep was left only to the whims of the sparse houses spread around the area.

The Jedi tried to push the image of Obi-Wan out of his head but it came back with a vengeance. The Jedi Master felt despair well up within him. His padawan was gone. Were these feelings simply from his continual failure or did he actually miss the boy? He had been so eager to please and at times angry. He knew exactly what he wanted and he was not afraid to do anything possible to get it. Obi-Wan had been willing to sacrifice his life for him and the people of Bandomeer. He was impatient, but he was so young. He was brimming with hope and promise and he made friends fast. He had already shown signs of having a wry sense of humor and was skilled with a lightsaber. There was an inherit goodness in him that even some Jedi didn't possess.

He would've been a great padawan and an even better Knight. A boy with such goodness in him wouldn't betray him like his last apprentice. Qui-Gon grimaced as the image of Xanatos' leering face came to his mind. The betrayal still stung fiercely in the Jedi's heart. Seeing him on Bandomeer was a pain he did not want to revisit. He could hear his old apprentice's voice in his mind, voicing his own fears.

"_So this is the Jedi's way of treating their children? I know you screwed me over, but this is a new low for you Qui-Gon._"

The Jedi shook the voice away. He needed to focus on the present. The task at hand was vital to the stability of Gala's elections. Kazaran was counting on him. Obi-Wan would have to wait.

"_Again? At this rate your precious padawan is better off without you!_"

This continued on for hours. Qui-Gon mentally argued with his own fears as he walked towards the Hill Country. The voice always sounded like Xanatos even though Qui-Gon knew there was no way it could be. Qui-Gon was so distracted that he didn't notice the turbo-cart that pulled up next to him.

"Hey traveler!" A very deep and gruff voice called out.

Qui-Gon stopped in his tracks and his hand went to his lightsaber. He looked warily at the large Galacian seated rather uncomfortably in the small turbo-cart. The Galacian was a brute, but he had a kind face. The Jedi felt a disorientating sensation as he continued to inauspiciously observe the large Galacian. It was almost as if the Force was screaming at him, but Qui-Gon could not understand a single word. Qui-Gon blinked as the man waved at him again. What was the Force trying to tell him?

"Where you headed?" The man asked.

"As far as you can take me." Qui-Gon admitted with a smile.

The man laughed hugely and motioned for Qui-Gon to hop into the cart. Qui-Gon nodded his thanks and sat in the passenger seat next to the man. The Galacian looked up at the sky critically. His face scrunched up in a sign of disappointment and he made slight clicking noise.

"Storm's coming," He commented.

Qui-Gon looked at the perfectly clear sky and raised an eyebrow. The weather had been very pleasant so far on Gala. It didn't appear like it was going to change anytime soon. The man steered the turbo-cart carefully along the road.

"This is going to raise havoc on harvest." He shook his head.

"You're a farmer?" Qui-Gon asked with interest.

"Sixth generation!" The Galacian said proudly. "My family has been on the same plot of land for almost two-hundred years. 'Course we had to rotate the crops a couple of times, but that's no problem."

"Impressive," Qui-Gon complimented politely.

"We do pretty well. You'd be surprised what some people will pay for wheat these days. It's becoming harder and harder to grow."

Qui-Gon smiled lightly as the man went on and on. He was one of those rare type of people that are completely open upon first meeting them. Qui-Gon immediately liked the man. After about an hour Qui-Gon had practically learned all he wished to know about farming and then some.

"You know, you remind me of someone." The Galacian said with puzzlement.

"Really?" Qui-Gon asked.

"You're obviously not Galacian though. Where you from?"

"Coruscant mostly. I travel a lot."

"Ah Coruscant. Couldn't imagine a whole planet that's a city. How do they grow anything?"

"They don't. Food is imported from other planets."

The Galacian shook his head in disgust.

"What do they _do_ there then?" The Galacian asked, clearly not seeing anything beyond a life of farming.

"Anything and everything they can. Everyone is just trying to get by."

"Pfff," The man dismissed. "What do you do then?"

Qui-Gon briefly wondered if he should lie, but then thought better of it. This man probably wouldn't care what a Jedi was anyway.

"I'm a Jedi Knight," Qui-Gon answered honestly.

The Galacian gave him the strangest look and then burst out in laughter.

"What is so humorous?" Qui-Gon asked as the man continued to laugh.

"Don't take offense stranger, but the way the holonet portrays Jedi you'd think they had shining white lights all around them. You look normal." The Galacian snorted.

"Thank you, I guess."

"My eldest son thinks that a Jedi put some sort of spell on Prince Beju to make him act more like a human being."

At that Qui-Gon chuckled and the Galacian rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"How old is your son?" Qui-Gon asked curiously.

"He's eighteen and he thinks he knows everything." The man growled.

"Well you can tell him that Jedi do not cast spells," Qui-Gon said with a wry-smile. "Let's just say that Beju had a little push in the right direction."

"So do you really have a laser-sword?" The Galacian asked curiously.

"We call them lightsabers." The Jedi corrected.

"Why?" He asked, as if he thought the name was completely pointless.

Qui-Gon merely shrugged and looked at the rapidly passing landscape.

"So where do the Jedi get their food? You guys eat right?" The Galacian asked—his questions were becoming limitless.

"I'm not entirely sure. I never really thought about it." Qui-Gon admitted.

"Just think," The Galacian said with a proud smile. "Some guy like me is providing the Jedi with food. Makes you think doesn't it?"

"Yeah…" Qui-Gon trailed off.

"Gotta wonder whose job is more important though," The man commented.

Qui-Gon simply could not believe this Galacian. He was proud and opinionated, but he was also one of the friendliest beings he had met.

"You know," Qui-Gon said thoughtfully. "There are many Jedi who become farmers. They use their connection to the Force to help plants grow for other worlds."

"Now _that_ I respect." The Galacian said and Qui-Gon chuckled.

"Most Jedi don't view it as such a great thing." Qui-Gon admitted.

"That's stupid." The farmer said simply.

Qui-Gon was going to make a reply when the turbo-cart suddenly slowed to a halt at a fork in the road.

"Well this is where I leave you stranger. My farm is just a few miles off the main road." The Galacian said.

"Thank you for the lift and the company." Qui-Gon said graciously as he got out of the cart.

"It's no problem," The Galacian said. "Just watch out for the Hill people. They've been known to come down this far sometimes."

At the mention of Hill People the Galacian's face changed into disgust and hate. Qui-Gon was a little taken aback by the abrupt shift. Hatred of the Hill People must indeed run very deep.

"Farewell farmer!" Qui-Gon called out.

"And you Jedi!" The Galacian called back with a wave of his large hand.

Qui-Gon began to head down the road again but stopped when he heard the man call out to him. He turned around and blocked the weak sunlight from his eyes.

"So do you have a name?!?" The farmer bellowed.

"Qui-Gon Jinn,"

"Qui-Gon Jinn? What kind of name is that?" The farmer criticized loudly and Qui-Gon ignored it.

"What about you?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Avlo Lundus!" The man bellowed back.

Qui-Gon waved one last time at Avlo and turned towards the road. He felt that strange disorientation again, but it got weaker as he traveled farther and farther from Avlo. Soon the feeling was forgotten and he made his way to the Hill Country with a single-minded determination.

* * *

_A/N: Yeah yeah yeah… It took longer than usual. I seriously had planned to have Qui-Gon and Obi meet up in this chapter but it was already getting too long. Perhaps next chapter?!?! Thanks as always for reviewing. Love ya guys! Oh I totally had a question for you guys. I was thinking about how Qui and Obi went straight to Gala from Phindar so do you think they had an official ceremony saying Obi was a padawan? I was slightly wondering about this because if not does Obi have a padawan's braid or not?_


	24. 24

24

* * *

"_They hurried to the window. Hundreds—maybe thousands—of people were heading down the hill into Galu. Some of them were on swoops. They herded a battalion of the royal guard, who marched between them. At the head of the group rode a woman, her silver hair streaming behind her. Next to her rode Qui-Gon. Galacians were spilling out into the street to see the sight."

* * *

_

Atri slowly opened his eyes as he returned from nothingness. He didn't dream. He didn't exactly know what a dream was. Shiko had tried to explain it, but Atri couldn't grasp the concept. When he went to sleep he returned to the nothingness that he had come from. It scared him sometimes. Every time he thought he had filled up the abyss in his mind with his family he would go to sleep and it would return. There were so many questions he didn't know who to ask. Shiko and the others didn't know how to truly answer him. What had happened before the void? He knew enough to understand that he did not just exist. He had existed years previously, but they were years he could not recall. His family could not tell him what exactly he was missing.

Every morning he awoke from this nothingness and it always took him a few minutes to center himself. Every time he woke up he had to fight off the panic. He had to make sure that there were no more holes. It was the same every morning. He sat up, stared blankly ahead, shuddered, and then sighed. The memories of his family always came back and he was thankful for it. As he learned more and more he was starting to realize that most people in Avlo's situation wouldn't have taken him into their home. Avlo was _good_. He could _feel _it.

Atri looked over at Shiko who was staring at him with confusion.

"You still do that," Shiko commented strangely.

"Do what?" Atri asked.

"Never really wake up. It's like you go into a trance." Shiko tried to explain.

"I'm not sleeping now…" Atri sounded confused.

"I guess not!" Shiko laughed.

"Did you 'dream' last night Shiko?" Atri asked curiously.

"Yeah! There was this huge flying dragon coming after us and then you and I hopped on its neck and we rode it all around the farm. Then it started talking like Tiku and we were all confused and stuff."

Atri's brow narrowed in confusion, but he still paid attention. Once Shiko was done explaining his dream he looked over at his adopted brother.

"Did you dream Atri?" He asked and Atri looked away.

"No," He shook his head.

"Oh…" The younger boy trailed off.

"I… just… I don't know why!" Atri tried to break through the barriers in his mind, but it was useless. He couldn't even see these barriers, but he knew they were there!

"It's not that bad Atri. At least you don't have to worry about nightmares!" Shiko said brightly.

"What are nightmares?" Atri's confusion turned to curiosity in a flash.

"They are _bad_ dreams. They are scary and bad things happen in them."

"Like what?"

Shiko hopped over to Atri's bed and sat next to him. His pale blue eyes narrowed slightly and sparkled with a strange light Atri only saw in Avlo's eyes. Atri didn't have a word for it, but he knew that it meant Shiko understood some things that most people could not.

"There was this one time I had a bad dream," Shiko began softly. "And in it I was all alone. My mom and dad weren't there. Keta and Tiku were laughing at something, and when I asked them what it was they wouldn't tell me. They wouldn't even look at me. I did everything to get them to talk to me. I even screamed and they didn't even _hear_ me. Then they started to walk away and I tried to follow them, but my legs were stuck and I couldn't move. They were getting farther and farther and I cried, but they didn't come back…. And I was alone."

The two boys were completely silent as they absorbed the nightmare. Shiko's normally exuberant demeanor had mellowed and he rubbed his eyes. Atri put his arm around his brother as Shiko had done to him many times.

"That'll never happen," Atri said confidently and Shiko looked up at him questioningly.

"How do you know?"

"I just do. Tiku said it was called in-tu-i-shon."

"How come Tiku makes up big words?" Shiko chortled.

"He didn't make it up!" Atri defended.

"He does so! In two itching? That's not a word!"

Both boys laughed and somehow ended up in a pillow fight. Shiko and Atri gasped to catch their breath between their laughter and the strenuous battle they were waging. They landed on the floor in a heap of giggles and their two 'weapons' forgotten at their feet. Seconds later Sera found the two youngest boys of the family and crossed her arms. She cleared her throat and watched with a smug smile the two boys jump up and feign innocence. Her posture practically radiated the promise of power she could exorcise over the two. They offered her twin smiles of apology. She decided to be lenient; for now.

"Why aren't you dressed? Tiku is practically having a seizure because he wants to leave _right now_!"

From the kitchen came the frantic voice of the eldest son,

"_What?!!? They aren't dressed yet?!? SHIKO, ATRI!!!_"

The two winced at the sound. Tiku had been rather tense as the election got closer and closer. Now that it was Election Day, the normally calm young adult couldn't even stand still. Shiko and Atri immediately bounded for their wardrobe and pulled out all the clothes they could. The tunics and leggings fell to the ground in a messy heap. Sera shook her head in exasperation and left the room to give the two some privacy. The pair madly put on their respective clothing—Atri finally getting his tunic on the right way. It had taken him over a week to figure out not to wear it inside out, backwards, and to put his head in the right hole.

The boys emerged from their room looking pristine and suspiciously regal. Sera eyed them critically and wondered how they had undergone such a radical transformation. She sighed and decided not to worry about it. There were some mysteries that weren't meant to be solved.

"Where's Keta?!?" Tiku practically screeched. "She's coming right? I thought everyone was coming!"

"Calm down Tiku. The polls don't even open for another hour." Sera put a soothing hand on her anxious first-born.

"You don't even know who you are voting for yet do you?" Shiko asked with a devious smirk.

Tiku shot his brother a dark glare and drank a large glass of orange-juice.

"Can't I just go ahead of everyone on the swoop?" Tiku asked impatiently.

Sera narrowed her eyes.

"Tiku! I am _not _letting you near that death-trap again. You're lucky you haven't crashed yet!"

"Lucky… or skilled?" He flashed a grin which Sera only frowned at.

Atri and Shiko sat down at the table while Sera shoved her eldest son into a chair and placed a plate in front of him. Sera placed similar plates in front of the other boys and began to place generous servings of eggs and a strange chopped up vegetable on it. They ate obediently without much ruckus. They were usually very subdued in the morning.

Tiku looked at his breakfast with a sick face. Sera gave her eldest son a warning look.

"I'm too nervous to eat!" Tiku explained.

"Eat it, _now!_" Sera threatened. "We're going to be in Galu all day and you how your father doesn't like 'wasting' money on vendors."

Tiku rolled his eyes and began to eat the food. He only finished half of it before he put his fork down.

"I can't take it anymore!" Tiku said and stood up.

Sera pushed him back down in his chair and gently scolded him.

"Tiku, have you figured out who you are voting for yet?" She asked and Tiku put his head on the table.

"No!" He said forlornly.

"Surely not for Deca Brun; not after that scandal that Jedi discovered!" Sera exclaimed.

"You mean the fact that he is using Offworld Mining to fund his campaign? That's not entirely illegal, yet. As far as I know there are no campaign finance laws put into effect." Tiku shrugged. "There was never a need for them until now."

"Tiku, please don't tell me you are _defending_ him!" Sera nearly shrieked.

"Please mom," Tiku rolled his eyes. "Offworld was using Deca to open the planet to unregulated mining practices. They were just trying to buy access, which they did in a way."

Tiku smirked and shook his head.

"It's good to know that Gala is already catching up to the rest of the galaxy in sneaky political maneuvering." The young adult laughed. "Speaking of which, I heard that Council Minister Giba was arrested last night for conspiracy against the throne and consorting with Deca Brun."

Sera sat down next to her son and her shock showed plainly on her face.

"Conspiracy? What conspiracy?" She asked.

"Well apparently he ordered an unsanctioned attack on the Hill People and Prince Beju was _not _pleased with that. Prince Beju suspected that Giba was just trying to retain his power in any way possible. The attack on the Hill people just cemented the fact.Prince Beju ordered Giba's arrest; who naturally resisted."

"Naturally," She rolled her eyes.

"He tried to appeal to the guards, but they were loyal to the Queen and the Prince. They threw him in a temporary prison, trying to get any concrete information out of him. Prince Beju finally managed to get _something_ out of the Council Minister which connected him to Deca." Tiku continued.

"I still can't believe Council Minister Giba was consorting with that Deca Brun," Sera said with disgust.

"You haven't heard anything yet!" Tiku's eyes lit up. "Apparently that Jedi team discovered that Queen Veda was being poisoned."

Sera gasped and sat down next to her politically aware son.

"Poisoned?" She managed to squeak out. "But everyone _loves_ Queen Veda. Who could _consciously_ do something like that?"

"You know how she's been getting sicker and sicker and never getting better. No one was even sure she was going to make it to see the elections."

Sera folded her hands and looked at them. She was genuinely upset at this news. Queen Veda had always ruled fairly and kindly. When she started to get sick, most of the affairs of state were managed by the Council. Her announcement of free elections shortly after both pleased and shocked the people of Gala. They loved her even more for it.

"Don't you see? This poisoning has been going on for _months_!" Tiku exclaimed. "Someone didn't want the elections to happen, but it was too late and there was nothing they could do about it."

"Who?" Sera asked almost desperately.

"They don't know!" Tiku proclaimed. "But everyone is blaming Giba."

"Giba!?!" She hissed.

"All the evidence points to him—even though they don't have anything conclusive. Even if he _didn't_ do it he'll probably end up taking the fall for it."

"But the Queen is all right, isn't she?"

"Yes," Tiku smiled. "Once they found the poisoning agent they were able to find an antidote."

Sera sighed in relief and rested her head in her hands. Tiku put a comforting hand on her shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly. She shook her head and sighed.

"It's just so horrible!" She cried out.

"What's horrible?" Avlo asked as he walked into the kitchen.

Sera immediately got up and got her husband a plate. He began to voraciously eat his breakfast as Tiku explained in a more summarized account of the trouble in Galu. After hearing the story Avlo shook his head.

"And you _like_ this kind of stuff?" He asked in disgust.

"It's more interesting than watching plants grow!" Tiku countered back.

"All right, all right. That's enough you two!" Sera waved a spatula threateningly in their faces.

Shiko and Atri had managed to avoid listening to the long drawn out conversation by engaging in a staring contest. Strangely enough, they were both absolutely focused. Shiko's normally hyperactive disposition was quelled as he stared at his adoptive brother. Atri's face lost all expression and his eyes were unmoving. His breathing was slow and even and above all he looked completely at peace. A small smile started to creep up on his face. Shiko, seeing that he could very well loose, decided to up the stakes a little.

"Atri! What's that behind you?!?" Shiko cried out without blinking.

Atri's smile only grew wider. He could _feel_ that there was nothing behind him. He could _feel_ everything. Everything seemed to be flowing in many intricate paths and he could see them all. _This_ he understood. He could even see his place in it. He belonged.

"ATRI!!! There is a four-legged snake and it's going to eeeeat me!" Shiko screeched and his mother shot him a withering look.

"Stop bothering your brother!" She warned.

Everyone at the table stopped moving and looked at the matriarch of the family. She had an unreadable expression on her face that was a mixture between shock, acceptance, and love. It was the first time it had been unconsciously admitted that Atri was a part of their family. Atri blinked sharply and looked up at his family.

"I won!" Shiko shouted in elation. "Thanks Mommy!"

Shiko got up and hugged his mother, but still no one else spoke. At this moment, Keta came strolling into the kitchen with storm clouds of anger and annoyance in her eyes. She took one look at her family and rolled her eyes.

"Who died?" She asked sarcastically.

The family quickly snapped out of their reverie and looked towards the sixteen year old girl. She gave them an irritated glance and then rolled her eyes when no one answered her. She served herself breakfast and ate in tense silence.

"I won, I won, I won!!!" Shiko continued to chatter.

"Well done Shiko," Avlo said proudly and smiled.

"Did I miss something?" Keta rolled her eyes again.

"Shiko beat Atri at a staring contest. He's acting like it is the greatest victory in the history of Gala." Tiku smirked at his sister.

Atri continued to say nothing, but his eyes were aglow with a strange happiness and peace. He was truly a part of Avlo's family. He needed no formal initiation or right of passage. Being openly acknowledged as Shiko's brother was enough. He finally belonged. His life _before_ didn't seem to matter so much to him anymore.

* * *

Galu was a flurry of activity and people. Political signs and banners were proudly borne everywhere. Though Deca had fallen in the public's eye, his staunchest supporters still rallied for his cause. They were drowned out by Wila Prammi supporters who crowded the streets proclaiming why Wila Prammi was the ideal choice for government. The most surprising fact was the amount of people in support of Prince Beju. It wasn't just those who would benefit most from a monarchy either. Many of the middle class cheered for their Prince. He had made quite an impression in the last few weeks, and now that Deca had lost support Beju was a serious contender.

Atri looked at the city in an almost excited awe. He was no longer afraid of the amount of people that surrounded him. They existed as he did and they had families as he did. They were the same, but all unique. He was curious about all of these people. He wanted to know them. He wanted to know what they thought about everything!

"Atri, keep up!" Sera scolded gently and grabbed his hand while Shiko had her other.

Keta was looking around constantly and eyed the crowds with clear disdain. Avlo was simply trying to keep his family from getting lost in the immense crowds. He knew that an innocent crowd could quickly change into a rampaging riot in no time. He brought his vibro-shiv with him just in case he would be forced to defend himself. He was finding it quite difficult to keep track of his family when his eldest was flitting around like a bird talking to anyone and everyone he could. After about the tenth time of loosing and relocating his eldest son he finally gave up. They all agreed to meet back up at the turbo-cart once the sun started to go down.

Like magic, the two eldest siblings disappeared into the crowd. Sera shook her head and made sure she was holding on to Shiko and Atri very tightly. She had no doubt that Tiku and Keta could take care of themselves, but if the two youngest members of her family got lost… There would be no way to find them in this madness. Atri looked up at her with a smile almost as if reading her mind. She smiled back at him and decided to make the most of the outing.

* * *

Tiku wandered around in an aimless fashion. He would get near the polls, but he would not go inside. He still had no idea who he wanted to vote for. How could he make such a decision when he knew the three main contenders strengths and weaknesses so well he _dreamed_ about them? They each had their flaws and those flaws were reason enough _not_ to vote for any of them, but they also had redeeming qualities. Deca had his gravitas—he meant business and he wasn't going to let anyone or anything get in his way. People were drawn to that kind of power and so they _still_ supported him.

Did Gala need a leader like that? Tiku didn't know.

Wila Prammi had the most experience dealing with matters of state. She had been an under Minister at the Palace and she knew the ins and outs of Gala's political realm. She had lived out her life in wealth and privilege though. She could barely sympathize with the lower class because she didn't know what it was like. Once the scandal that Deca was involved in hit the streets she had gained a lot more supporters. She had a tendency to speak what was exactly on her mind even at the cost of offending people.

Was she truly cut out to be a politician? Or would the monster that was politics eat her alive?

Then there was Prince Beju. He had been raised his whole life to be King of Gala. He would most likely want to return the planet to a monarchy. Or did he? Ever since he came back from Phindar he had been the talk of the entire city. His dramatic change had people excited. They wanted to see _more_ of this new Beju. By the moons! Tiku wanted to see more of this Prince Beju as well.

The young-adult made his way towards a group of Beju-supporters. They were all caught up in the novel craze that the prince had instilled in them. Some of them carried laser signs that blinked from 'PRINCE BEJU' to 'DESTINY'. Tiku almost laughed, but he was intrigued. He ventured further and further into the crowd until he was in the hub of Beju-central. Tiku heard a familiar voice and whirled around in surprise. Right in front of him was Prince Beju animatedly talking with a Galacian. Tiku's eyes went wide and his mouth hung open. That was Prince Beju?

Tiku fell into a fit of laughter. Prince Beju was just a kid! He couldn't be older than his sister Keta and was about the same height as Atri. Everyone was getting excited over a kid? Tiku wondered when he had lost track of Beju's age. The Holonet made him out to be some larger than life figure. Tiku walked away laughing his head off and gaining many stares.

* * *

It was about five hours before the polls officially closed when a cry went up throughout the city. The Hill People had come down to vote and people in the streets were starting to panic. Avlo, taller than most Galacians, saw first hand the Hill People as they descended on the city. He growled and barked out orders to his family to stay behind him. He fingered his vibro-shiv, but he knew he couldn't draw it in public.

An uproar went up throughout the crowd. No one had anticipated this. All the figures and predictions were rendered moot as the darker skinned Galacians walked towards the city. There were murmurs of fear, anger, and wonder. Atri stopped completely and looked around. He_ felt_ something. There were the bad feelings like fear and anger, but his intuition told him everything would be all right. It didn't explain the strange new feeling though. He was about to ask Sera or Shiko, but realized he had no words to describe it. Before he could give it more thought Sera was tugging at his hand and he was being pulled away.

"KETA, TIKU!!!" Avlo shouted over the melee.

He couldn't see a sign of his eldest children anywhere and he was starting to get angry. He whirled towards his wife and the two youngest boys and looked at them sternly.

"Do not move from this spot. I'm going to find Tiku and Keta." He said gruffly and left no room for dissent.

Sera sighed and held her children's hands tighter. Shiko was naturally curious and wanted to go with his dad. She knew she had a battle ahead of her to get Shiko to stay in the same place for too long. She was ready. A mother was always ready.

* * *

Qui-Gon walked back into Galu an exhausted Jedi. He had spent _days_ trying to convince Elan to come back to Galu and vote. She was stubborn, willful, obstinate, and a leader. He had to resort to feigning injury just to stay with the Hill People. They truly were very kind, but they were wary of outsiders. It took an attack on her home to finally bring her and her people into the city. She was scheduling a meeting with the candidates at the moment. He smiled slightly as the thought of Prince Beju and Elan meeting for the first time. They were siblings and they didn't even…

Qui-Gon's eyes widened. Prince Beju didn't know about Elan and the mark of the crown! He didn't know he had a sister or that his father had fallen in love with a Hill Person. He knew that kind of information would either incense the Prince's anger or crush him. Either way, it would be a bad situation for both Elan and Beju. He had to do something. The Force was urgently telling him to move forward and he obeyed. He glided gracefully through the crowds, hoping to reach the palace. He felt waves of fear and anger roll off the Galacians, but he sensed no danger. There would be no revolt. Kazaran and his padawan had done their job well.

He had tried to warn them of Giba's betrayal, but they had shrugged it off and said they were already on their way to arrest him. Kazaran had told Qui-Gon that they had everything under control and they only needed Elan. Qui-Gon had crisply told him to 'be patient' and he was 'working on it'.

The Jedi Master had to resort to slight nudges of the Force to get through the crowd, but it was still hard going. He knew if he pushed someone the wrong way he might incite a brawl, and that's not something he wanted to do. He looked at his surroundings and frowned. He wasn't going in the direction he wanted to. He had somehow gotten turned around. He was pretty fatigued and hadn't been paying that much attention.

He whirled around to try and get his bearings when he heard a small voice cut through the roar of the crowd like a lightsaber. He _knew_ that voice. It had asked him questions. It had argued and struggled to not show its frustration and anger. He had heard despair and laughter in it once. He knew with time it would change into a voice of strength, conviction, and peace. For now it was one of innocent curiosity. It's owner attached by the hand to a woman who held another boy's hand as well.

"Are you lost?" It asked.

* * *

_A/N: Mwhahahahah! Thanks all for reviewing and giving me a probable answer to my question. I have considered all of them. I don't have a clear answer, but I have an idea what I will be going with. Please continue to give me constructive criticism (or start doing it…). I promise I won't cry too much. Oh, and sorry about the late update!_


	25. 25

25

* * *

"_Is it really you?" Obi-Wan asked, struggling to clear his clouded brain._

_Qui-Gon smiled. It was the first time Obi-Wan had seen him smile, and he realized that Qui-Gon was not all coolness and judgment._

"_Yes, it's really me," he said._

"_Did you come to look for me?" Obi-Wan asked hopefully. He would not have asked such a blunt question, but he was too weak to puzzle out why the Jedi was here.

* * *

_

Atri looked quizzically at the strange man. He was tall, but not as tall as Avlo. His skin color was darker than a Galacian's and his hair went to his shoulders. He wore a dark brown robe over a creamy tunic and long brown boots. The man was different. It was the only word Atri could think of to describe him. The boy kept his curious gaze on the man as if he could divine who he was by just looking at him.

"Obi-wan," He murmured, not making much sense to Atri.

O B one? Was that some sort of number he hadn't learned of yet? There was twenty-one and thirty-one so why not Obee-one? No, that didn't make much sense. His family had jointly taught him about numbers and how they always followed a repeating pattern. 'Obee' was not a number. Maybe the man meant 'won'? Obee won? What did Obee win? Who was Obee?

"Who won?" Atri asked.

The man was strange. He continued to _stare _at him and Atri had been constantly reminded by Sera that staring was rude. If someone was staring at you did it give you full rights to stare back? The man also looked a little sick.

"Are you okay?" The boy asked seriously.

"Atri, don't talk to strangers." Sera tugged on his hand and led him away from the stranger.

"What's an Obee?" Atri asked, looking up at Sera.

"What?" Sera asked, looking a little preoccupied.

Shiko was getting impatient and was trying to slip out of Sera's grip and follow his father. Sera was doing her best to keep her two youngest children in line. Usually they were in agreement as to which direction they wanted to go, but not today. She sighed inwardly and hoped Avlo would be back soon.

"Shiko?" Atri called behind Sera's back at his brother. "What's an Obee?"

"What?" Shiko's face crinkled in confusion.

"That stranger said 'Obee won'. What does that mean?"

"Maybe he meant 'a bee won'."

Atri smiled at Shiko's intelligence. Of course! That was the only thing that made sense. A bee won… A bee won what? How did bees win? Was there something about bees he didn't know? Did a bee win the election?!? Tiku would be so disappointed!

Atri looked back at the stranger who hadn't moved from his spot. The stranger still looked very sick. The part that was confusing Atri the most was that he couldn't exactly _feel_ the man. Shiko and the others were so easily understood because he could always _feel_ if they were sad, angry, or confused. It left him slightly unnerved, but all the more curious. He pulled as far away from Sera as her arm allowed towards the stranger who still hadn't moved.

"What did the bee win?" He asked the stranger through the crowd of people.

"Obi-Wan…" He said again and Atri was finding it hard to hear him.

The stranger was as confusing as Tiku could be at times, but with far less words. He couldn't get any sort of feeling on this stranger. It was almost like someone had put something over his ears and he was relying only on his primary sense of sight. It was a little unsettling for the young boy. He didn't realize how much he relied on these _feelings_. He understood that strangers were harder to read than his family, but it felt that this stranger was different. He wanted to know why.

Shiko had reached the end of his patience and decided to escape his mother's clutches and look for his father himself! He slipped out of her hand and ran off into the crowd. Sera yelled after him, but the boy didn't turn back. She turned to the nearest person she could find with a pleading expression.

"Can you watch him for awhile? I have to go chase down my other son. Thanks!"

Her voice was near frantic and she didn't wait for him to answer. Precious seconds were ticking by and if she didn't chase after Shiko _right now_ she would _never_ find him. Atri was interested in the man anyway and Sera had noticed that Atri seemed to have a way of trusting the right people. She still had that slight fear that she left her adopted son in the hands of a kidnapper, but she pushed it away.

"Do not move from that spot Atri!" She called out behind her.

* * *

Qui-Gon Jinn couldn't find any words. It was almost if he had lost the ability to form a coherent thought. Right in front of him was the boy he had spent weeks worrying over. The Jedi had endured the guilt and the indecision. He had even pushed his own desire to find Obi-Wan that much sooner for the sake of others; on Phindar _and_ Gala. He had spent the days trying to push away the fear in order to focus on the task at hand. He succeeded mostly. He was a Jedi after all. 

Obi-Wan was looking at him curiously and Qui-Gon searched desperately for a hint of recognition. It was probably too much to ask for though. The boy had only known him for a short time. Still… If he held on to any memories it would be of the Jedi Order. It was all the boy had known after all. There was no recognition. Qui-Gon struggled with the grief that overcame him. To see such a promising padawan reduced to this… It was tragic. He had seen so much potential in Obi-Wan. The boy quite-literally glowed with it.

There was no recognition, but there was no blankness either. The boy's eyes were like that of a curious child. He smiled shyly up at the man and still regarded him with interest.

"You're different," Obi-Wan said with a smile and Qui-Gon sighed inwardly. This was going to be extremely difficult.

He kneeled down to the child's level and looked him straight in the eyes.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked neutrally, but secretly hoping that the boy felt his strong connection to the Force.

"I.. don't know," The boy answered truthfully and with a slight frown. "It's kinda like 'in-two-it-shon' but _different_."

He didn't want to press Obi-Wan, but he needed to know if he still possessed some minor grasp of the Force. What had Yoda told him once? Obi-Wan showed most promise in the Unifying Force. It was only when someone's mind was quiet enough could they really hear the Force speaking to them… The Jedi's eyes widened in shock. Did that mean that Obi-Wan could hear the Force all the more because his mind had been blanked?

"You think a lot," The boy commented.

"How do you know that?" The Master asked with a smile.

"Whenever people are quiet they are usually thinking; that's what Tiku told me."

"Who is Tiku?" Qui-Gon asked curiously and the boy lit up with a larger smile.

"He's really smart! He tried to teach me about a lot of stuff, but he uses too many words. They're not small words either!"

The more the boy talked the more Qui-Gon was convinced it was a completely different person. This boy was animated and child-like. He lacked the seriousness that most temple initiates possessed. Years of training and getting to know the Force… gone. He was only a child now. Qui-Gon pushed the thoughts away. Where there was the Force, there was a way.

"You're thinking again!" The boy exclaimed with a laugh.

"Don't you think?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Sometimes, when I wake up."

"Only then?"

"Nooo…" The boy rolled his eyes and studied the Jedi Master thoughtfully. "I think a lot, but when I think it, I have to say it!"

"Some people have gotten into a lot of trouble because they always say what is on their mind."

"Why?"

"Because there are some bad people in this galaxy Obi-Wan--"

Qui-Gon immediately stopped speaking after he said the boy's name. He knew it would only confuse or upset him. The boy only laughed and began to jump from foot to foot as if he was dancing on coals.

"You say funny things!" He laughed childishly again and Qui-Gon's heart clenched painfully. "What did the bee win?"

"No.." Qui-Gon tried to explain, but was cut off by the arrival of the woman and the runaway child—both looked rather annoyed.

"I can't thank you enough, sir." She gushed in relief. "This one always seems to get away from me." She glanced down at the child she held in an iron-grip.

"I'm un-pre-dict-a-ble!" The child said, pronouncing each syllable.

"And you are in big trouble!" The woman added with a slight narrowing of her eyes.

The child looked up at her with pleading eyes that could've melted the heart of the hardest of politicians, but the mother was unmoved. The Jedi Master was impressed.

"Who's your new friend Atri?" The woman asked kindly.

Atri? Who was Atri? She couldn't possibly mean Obi-Wan…

"I don't know, but he says funny things," Obi-Wan answered. "He likes to think too."

He had a name? Qui-Gon felt as if the situation was getting worse and worse. If Obi-Wan had a name then this kind woman had adopted him into her family. He must have spent weeks with them, learning about the world and himself. He swallowed hard and tried to hold on to the hope that was now dimming. What if Obi-Wan didn't want to go back to the Jedi Temple with him? What if Obi-Wan had already found his 'family'? How could he ask him to leave everything he ever knew?

"See! He's doing it again." Obi-Wan/Atri commented.

"He thinks more than Tiku does!" The young boy exclaimed.

Qui-Gon looked sharply down at the two boys. The boy's speech pattern and tone resembled Obi-Wan's tremendously. No, he corrected himself, Obi-Wan's speech mirrored the boy's. Detaching himself from the situation he noticed that Obi-Wan practically emulated the little boy. Their facial expressions, their voice, their mannerisms—they were all the same. A strange sense of familiarity came over Qui-Gon and his brow furrowed. He had seen this type of mirroring behavior before.

Guerra and Paxxi. Obi-Wan and the boy acted like brothers.

"Are you all right sir?" The woman asked.

Qui-Gon inclined his head slightly with a forced smile. He called upon the Force for tranquility and for some advice on how to proceed. He had to be forthright with these people; that he knew. Events would unfold themselves from there.

"Yes, I am fine. There is something serious I need to speak with you and your family about."

The woman eyed him suspiciously as if he were an annoying salesman or someone trying to swindle her. She grabbed Obi-Wan's hand tightly and her eyes narrowed at the man.

"I don't think we're interested," She said coldly.

Qui-Gon sighed and held out his hands placatingly.

"I assure you it concerns you _greatly_. You see, it's about that boy you call Atri."

The Jedi Master watched as the woman stiffened and Obi-Wan eyed him with intensity. He tried his best to look non-threatening, but the woman only took a step back with an almost panicked expression. He felt anxiety and fear rolling off the mother in waves and he felt a slight tinge of guilt. She had obviously bonded with Obi-Wan. He was probably a second son to her. Obi-Wan looked up at the woman with a concerned expression and much to Qui-Gon's surprise the boy sent waves of comfort to the distressed woman through the Force. He probably didn't realize he was doing so!

Now was his chance to catch Obi-Wan's attention. He searched for their Master and Padawan bond, but he still could not find it. It had not been severed, only lost. He looked straight at the boy and sent out a small nudge with the Force. The boy's eyes shot towards the Jedi Master in confusion.

"I've been looking for him for a long time…" Qui-Gon trailed off.

* * *

Avlo found his eldest child first. Tiku was sitting down on a bench, observing people. He was smirking uncontrollably like he had heard the funniest joke and only he was privy to it. The Hill people continued to swarm the polls and most simply stepped out of their way, gazing in shock. Tiku looked oddly pleased with himself, but Avlo had no time for his son's strange behavior. 

"Tiku, get over here _now_!" Avlo yelled.

Tiku waved at his father in acknowledgment, infuriating the man further. The large Galacian made his way easily through the crowd to collect his son. Most scampered out of his way because of his impressive size and the enraged look in his eyes.

"Father!" Tiku exclaimed happily.

"Where is your sister?" Avlo went straight to the point and the young adult shrugged. "We're leaving, _now_."

"What's the rush? The polls don't close for another four hours!"

"We're leaving!" Avlo growled in a tone that left no room for dissent.

The young-adult sighed and they set off to look for Keta.

"Where would Keta go?" Avlo asked Tiku seriously.

"Do you think I'd know?" Tiku asked with a laugh.

"You're a young man. Where do all the pretty girls hang out?"

"How would _I _know? It's not like I _see_ any girls much less know where they pass the time." Tiku rolled his eyes.

"Why not? You're not bad looking. Girls love that strange stuff like politics."

Tiku only rolled his eyes and shook his head at his dad's ignorance. He didn't want to get into an argument when his dad was already agitated. He didn't know anything about where girls hung out because he rarely left the farm. His dad didn't want to waste fuel on "frivolous" trips to the city, and it wasn't like there were many neighbors.

Tiku went further into the melee with his father, but there was no sign of his sister. She was fitting the role of moody teenager perfectly--much to everyone's chagrin. Usually he would be able to talk to her about anything, but now she was mad at him which made the whole situation impossible to speak of. He was trying to drop the whole Kiban matter, but it kept nagging at him. Tiku's eyes narrowed dangerously as he saw the man he had just been thinking of. He was gesticulating towards a young woman with angry and jerked motions. The woman in question happened to be his sister.

"I see Keta," Tiku said with a frown.

"Where?" Avlo asked and Tiku nodded towards his sister and the tutor.

Tiku sighed as his father growled the tutor's name and marched over to where they were talking. He knew he had no chance of stopping his father. There were two things that got Avlo angry: The Hill People and Kiban. The eldest child watched in pity as his father grabbed his daughter's arm and yanked her away from the tutor. Kiban began to follow the pair while Keta yanked her arm away and glared at Avlo. Tiku couldn't hear their conversation, but it was getting pretty close to escalating into a full scale brawl.

Avlo turned sharply towards the young adult and began to make threatening gestures. Kiban backed off slightly, but didn't stop arguing. Keta was obviously shrieking something at both of them and all Tiku could do was watch. He had an overwhelming feeling of _needing to do something_, but he couldn't bring himself to move. His father was acting on his angry impulses and it was going to drive Keta further away than she already was. She had already planned to run away with Kiban. This was going to seal her resolve. Tiku uttered a soft prayer and ran to the three screaming Galacians.

"I never want to see you in my house again!" Avlo roared at Kiban and the tutor sneered.

"Like I would go back to that sordid squalor you call a farm!" Kiban said viciously.

"Squalor?!?"

"It means filthy, ignorant peasant."

Avlo was about to take a swing at the tutor when his son stepped in the way and the Galacian managed to pull back in time. His mouth gaped in shock at the audacity of his son. Kiban looked oddly pleased with himself until Tiku turned towards him with a furious look.

"I would _very_ much like privilege of watching my father beat you to a pulp, but even you do not deserve that. For some reason I cannot possibly fathom, my sister _likes_ you. She likes you so much she considered abandoning those who love her—for you." Tiku paused and took a deep breath. "Frankly, I do not trust your intentions towards her. I think you would have used her until you found the next pretty young thing to catch your attention."

Kiban narrowed his eyes at the young adult. Tiku opened his clenched hands in an almost friendly gesture.

"You don't deserve Keta's favor. I wish to blame this on your trickery and deception, but my sister is very intelligent. I don't believe she would fall for such lies. Tell me, what makes you think you are worthy of her high opinion?"

The tutor crossed his arms, but remained silent. Keta shot Tiku a strange look. Avlo seemed to be in shock at the revelation of Keta's intention of running away. A soft sigh escaped Tiku's lips and he put his arms at his sides again.

"I don't think you are." He said simply and walked away.

There was complete silence amongst the three. Avlo looked from his daughter to Kiban and back to Keta. His anger was replaced by a look of sorrow. He took a deep shuddering breath and followed his son. Kiban looked pale, but he smiled at his pupil wanly.

"Keta," He said and proffered his hand.

She looked at it with indecision. After a long and tense moment she took a step back and ran to catch up with her family. Kiban lowered his hand and turned away with disbelief.

* * *

Atri felt waves of anxiety and sadness come from Sera, but what was most confusing was the stranger. There was something _different_ about him, but it was something he felt vaguely familiar with. It was something that his family didn't seem to be aware of, or possess. He desperately wanted to ask the stranger what was so different, but on the other hand he didn't want to know. He was afraid. Sera was hurt by this off-worlder's words, but Atri didn't _feel_ any bad feelings from the stranger. 

"My name is Qui-Gon Jinn and that," he pointed to Atri. "Is my padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi."

Atri's eyes widened. He felt a barrage of emotions overwhelm him. This couldn't be happening, not when he had a family!

"But I'm Atri," He denied with confusion.

His face became a blank slate as he tried to sort through what was happening. He was Atri, wasn't he? It's all he remembered so it had to be! That life before… How could it truly be his if he could not recall it? He didn't know this Qui-Gon!

"Before that you were Obi-Wan Kenobi. You were—_are_ my apprentice." Qui-Gon said softly.

The void of _feeling_ Atri was getting from the man opened slightly and he felt intense sadness. It was only for a brief second, but it was painful. None of his family had ever had that much sadness. Atri took another step back and his blank face turned into one of fear. It was too much sadness. How could someone bear that much? Why was it only for a second? Why, why, why?

"But he's Atri!" Shiko stepped forward with an angry look. "He's my brother! You can't have him!"

"Shiko…" Sera sighed.

"But _mommy_, he's wrong! Tell him he's wrong!" Shiko said stubbornly.

"Mister Jinn," Atri's guardian managed to choke out. "How can I believe what you say is true?"

Before Qui-Gon could answer the three remaining members of Atri's adopted family arrived. Atri felt a strange sense of peace about the trio. It wasn't surprising. His "intuition" told him it would happen. Sera turned imploring eyes towards her husband. She expected a suspicious reaction, but instead Avlo smiled widely and patted the Jedi on the back.

"Qui-Gon Jinn! I never expected to see you again!" He laughed.

"Avlo Lundus…" The Jedi murmured.

"Crazy man! What are you doing here? I thought I left you up in the hills!" The large Galacian chortled.

Sera shot a suspicious look at her husband.

"You _know_ this man?" She asked disbelievingly.

"I gave him a lift about a week ago. Don't know where he could possibly be going." Avlo smirked.

"I know him too," Tiku remarked. "I was in Galu and bumped into him."

Sera immediately turned suspicious eyes towards the stranger that had invaded her family's lives on multiple occasions.

"And isn't that a little _convenient_." She hissed at the man who took a step back in surprise.

"Sera, dear, what is this about?" Avlo asked, clearly confused.

"He's trying to take Atri from us!" Shiko shrieked.

"What?!?" Tiku exclaimed.

"He says that Atri is his 'pollywog' or something like that. He's probably been following us so he could take Atri from us!" Sera glared at Qui-Gon.

"That's ridiculous Sera. He's a Jedi Knight." Avlo explained cordially. "What does that have anything to do with Atri?"

Throughout this whole exchange Atri's eyes remained locked on Qui-Gon. Neither of them spoke, though they were the affected individuals. Obi-Wan Kenobi… That couldn't be his real name… could it? He could remember when Avlo took him to Galu every morning to try and find his parents—always to no avail. Why weren't they accepting the possibility that this Qui-Gon man could be telling the truth? But why hadn't he come sooner? Why now?

"Please let me explain," The Jedi pleaded and the family all locked eyes on him. The Jedi had to admit it was quite nerve wracking to have six pairs of eyes gazing at him intensely. He utter a soft plea to the Force and began to speak. "Thirty-four days ago, my padawan and I were on the planet Phindar. Our original mission was to oversee the elections in Gala, but we were sidetracked. . ."

Qui-Gon then explained everything that had happened in the past month; from Guerra and Paxxi to the renewing, Prince Beju, the Phindian Mali who never told Qui-Gon where Obi-Wan was, arriving on Gala with no clue that Obi-Wan was there, Kazaran and being sidetracked by his mission to the Hill People, and finally returning. He kept his voice as stoic as he could, but there were a few moments when his mask of Jedi calm had shattered to pieces and he called upon the Force for tranquility. Obi-Wan/Atri always flinched when this happened as if he could feel it. Qui-Gon desperately hoped he did.

When he finished there was complete silence. Atri's brow was furrowed and his hand was slack in Sera's. Her suspicion hadn't faltered for a second and Qui-Gon didn't blame her. She was protecting her child after all.

"I think he's lying," She said stubbornly. "Why would he let all that side-track him? If he really cared he would've went searching for him immediately!"

Qui-Gon felt pity for the woman. He could feel the desperation that was coming off of her. She was doing anything in her power to deny the truth, but was failing. By the Force, he hadn't expected anything like this. He knew that she couldn't understand why he had taken so long. She wasn't a Jedi.

"Atri?" Shiko asked.

Atri was completely lost in thought, but after a few seconds his eyes cleared and he looked at his adopted family. They were all waiting for him to say something.

"I think he's telling the truth." He said, slightly emotional. "I.. I remember the things that… hurt me before I met Avlo. I remember that name… Mali. I think he's telling the truth."

Qui-Gon felt his eyes begin to sting at the renewed boy's confirmation. It was small, but it was a start. He thanked the Force and the weight on his chest decreased slightly. He read acceptance on the faces of the family.

"But Atri's my brother! You can't take away my brother!" The smallest of the family pleaded with tears in his eyes. "Daddy, tell him he can't have him!"

The little boy began to sob and the eldest son kneeled down and took the crying boy in his arms. Avlo and his wife looked completely deflated and the daughter sort of stunned. Obi-Wan/Atri turned towards his crying brother and embraced him as well. Soon the whole family was gathered around the youngest.

"It's not _fair _Tiku!" The boy sobbed again. "We found him first!"

"Shhh…" Tiku soothed and locked eyes with the Jedi Knight.

It was then that Qui-Gon realized that this was probably the worst thing that could have happened. If Obi-Wan would have perished the Jedi temple would have lost a bright pupil, but they would accept it. Obi-Wan would be one with the Force. The Jedi Knight suddenly felt like an intruder who was splitting up a happy family. There was only one possible question for the situation,

"What do we do now?"

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_A/N: Thanks guys for bearing with me.. I truly didn't intend to take this long with this chapter, but I had writers block with another story and I have this strange system where I have to finish a chapter of my other fic before moving on to another one. Maybe it's not the best system... but it's working! I was evil with that cliffy wasn't I? Maybe it was me trying to get more reviews! evil smirk What? Even I can be greedy sometimes. I love you guys! As for the thirty-four days that Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon have been seperated... I was unsure about the actual timeframe.. but I do get a little creative liscence don't I? Thanks for continuing to read and review._


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